President's Column - Firearms training cuts
In this month’s Police News, there are some interesting stories of overseas police shootings similar to what we have experienced in New Zealand in the last year.
These have resulted in substantially different responses by Police administrations to those we have experienced here following the shooting of six police officers, two fatally. Unbelievably, our response in New Zealand means less police officers will be trained, not more!
While I accept we are not a democratic organisation and the Commissioner will make the final decision, I suggest the views of frontline police officers who are dealing with the changing Police environment should be given some credence and weight. After all, we consult our communities about policing issues, and so the internal police view should hold some sway.
It is clear that training and availability of firearms is an issue, especially for those who have been shot, shot at or threatened. Our research shows that.
Putting police officers on the street, in uniform and even in plain clothes, not only without access to firearms but also not even trained in their use is irresponsible. This in a year when six officers have been shot!
The Association is being contacted by members around the country concerned about the fact they will be denied training, denied training with Glocks or that only a proportion of their office or squad will be trained.
Where has this come from? No criminal or disciplinary action has ever followed a police shooting, which means they have stood up to the extreme scrutiny, which rightfully follows every shooting. We can only suppose then that we are reacting to the irrational and unsubstantiated criticism, which almost invariably follows use of a firearm against an offender by police.
Our criminals are now not only better armed than ever before, but also are more prepared to use firearms than ever. Organised crime is now well established and its sphere of intimidation is growing. That intimidation is backed by reliance on firearms. A public looking to Police for reassurance will be disappointed when they see us out gunned by organised crime groups.
Theodore Roosevelt said: “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far”.
We have quite rightly put emphasis on speaking softly through community policing, but I wonder whether we are shortening our stick. It is hard to believe that the outcome in the Napier shooting of three officers would not have been different had they been armed. Yet the only response has been to introduce another level of compliance, i.e. risk asessments; the inference being that the officers were somehow responsible for what happened.
We have had more officers slain on duty than the Australians in the last 10 years. It would appear it will take another one or two of us to be shot before the issue of firearms availability will be addressed.
