Social contract cuts both ways
Just over a year ago a 55-year-old man died in a South Taranaki police cell. That three police officers were yesterday charged with manslaughter in relation to his death tells us it might have been avoidable. There is no evidence to suggest the death was a result of a physical or violent confrontation, but the charge does tell us police believe the death was unlawful and a life ended prematurely.
His family deserve justice for that. They deserve to see the people responsible held to account through our court process. Because regardless of why he was in that cell at the ageing Ha¯ wera police station that night, and the events that led to his death, his family had every right to believe he would be safe.
That is the social contract we have with police, even if we aren’t aware of it.
In return for delegating them the power to have authority over us, we expect them to treat that authority as a guardianship.
They keep us safe, and that safety net most definitely includes the people they arrest. Should that not happen the contract of trust breaks down and anarchy is not far away. This is not an academic theory. It is happening right now. The death of US man George Floyd while in police custody has thrown America into turmoil.
It could be the event that brings down the Trump presidency. At the very least it will sow years of resentment between police and the civilian population. At its heart is a relationship breakdown between the police and a population they failed to protect without prejudice.
It hasn’t got to that stage in New Zealand, or South Taranaki. But protests here in solidarity with international protests over Floyd’s death prove not everyone is happy with how our police force operates.
The incident will have done irreparable harm to the trust the small South Taranaki force must employ to effectively police their area. Ha¯ wera is a town of just 10,000 people. There are likely dozens of stories floating around about what happened that night. If we’re lucky, one or two might be right. So it is in everyone’s interest not to give these too much weight.
Police don’t go to work to cause harm. By and large they are a small and committed force who really do see police work as a duty to their community. The men charged with the death of the 55-year-old will be going through their own turmoil. Their lives have been turned upside-down. In that respect they join four other Taranaki officers involved in the fatal shooting of Waitara man Alan Nevile Rowe on May 19.
‘‘It’s the hardest choice that any police officer will have to make,’’ Central District Commander Superintendent Chris De Wattignar said of the death. There is no reason to doubt his sincerity. Yet it is vital police are vigorously investigated for incidents that lead to injury or death. As an arm of the state’s authority, they must demonstrate they are also subject to that authority.
That the police have put three of their own up for judgment should help rebuild trust in the force as an institution. It will now be up to the court to decide the innocence or guilt of the three officers. Then it will be our responsibility to accept it and use the outcome to avoid it all happening again. Matt Rilkoff, Editor
They [police] keep us safe, and that safety net most definitely includes the people they arrest. Should that not happen the contract of trust breaks down and anarchy is not far away.