Arm police with knowledge
The hysterical call to ‘‘defund the police’’ in the United States is as absurd as it sounds.
Let’s not forget that the communities the activists purport to be helping are the same communities that benefit themost from policing. However, changing how police do their job is a completely different conversation to be had than ‘’defunding’’ or abolishing police entirely.
Even the democratic socialist Bernie Sanders agrees that the push to disband police departments is wrong, stating: ‘‘Do I think we should not have police departments in America? No, I don’t. There’s no city in the world that does not have police departments.’’
He is right. Who will Americans call ‘‘if there’s something strange in your neighbourhood?’’ Ghostbusters? Sorry, that was a movie. The US may soon get to experience what happens when police are removed from highcrime, low-income communities.
Sanders went on to say cops should be ‘‘well-educated, welltrained, well-paid professionals. And, too often around this country right now, you have police officers who take the job at very low payment, don’t have much education, don’t have much training – and I want to change that’’. He is essentially advocating for the professionalisation of policing.
Recent events in the US have provided us with an opportunity to reflect on our own policing model here in New Zealand.
Earlier this week, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster abandoned Armed Response Teams (ARTS) saying ‘‘it’s been clear to me that there has not been acceptance of this as an appropriate style of policing in New Zealand’’.
Now is a good time, Commissioner, for all of us to discuss what an ‘’appropriate style of policing in New Zealand’’ looks like. The professionalisation of policing should be at the top of the agenda.
In Australia and New Zealand, the Australasian Institute of Policing (Aipol) has been a strong advocate for professionalisation.
Aipol describes that as being associated with a ‘‘high level of education or skills and training, commitment to the idea of providing a quality service, adherence to certain standards of conduct and a commitment to update and improve skills and knowledge’’.
Here in New Zealand, 17-yearolds can apply to join the police, although theymust be 18 years old to attend the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua. The police recruiting website says applicants ‘‘don’t need any specific qualifications to apply’’. Further, police recruit training is just 16 weeks. In other words, after just 16-weeks of Police College training, a pimply-faced 18-year-old kid without any qualifications can be let loose on the streets of New Zealand as a sworn constable – and they are.
There are plenty of police media releases proudly stating that 18 or 19-year-olds were graduating from Police College. Yikes, sending an 18-year-old kid to resolve a dispute between 30 or 40-somethings isn’t a good idea. Never underestimate the value of life experience, although that alone isn’t enough.
Keep in mind that societal expectations demand that frontline cops have the skills of counsellors, social workers, and psychologists – all in one. And of course, they also have to respond to and investigate crime.
Some ‘’old school’’ coppers might argue that policing knowledge is characterised by informal learning through social interaction – aka ‘’learning on the job’’. Sure, that’s important, too, but 16 weeks of training, and learning on the job doesn’t quite cut it in 2020.
If the professionalisation of policing means that police officers are ‘‘well-educated, well-trained, well-paid professionals’’ – then New Zealand is lacking on the first two.
A first-year constable’s salary package is $66,615.00 plus the potential for an additional $6500 in allowances and overtime – so yes, they’re ‘‘well-paid’’ considering they ‘‘don’t need any specific qualifications’’.
Are they well-educated? Media releases of police graduation ceremonies over the past few years show most Police College graduates do not hold tertiary degrees butr the number of degree-holders is increasing. And of course, 16 weeks at Police College isn’t enough to be considered ‘’well-trained’’.
And yes, university (or equivalent) degrees are advantageous. US studies have found that universityeducated officers receive fewer complaints, have fewer disciplinary actions against them, receive fewer injuries on the job, have lower rates of absenteeism, are involved in fewer traffic accidents, and o use deadly force less often.
Also, they tend to be innovative in the performance of their work, are aware of social and cultural issues in their community, and respect diversity. And my favourite: They are more likely to question orders.
Let’s professionalise now.