Anzac Day big job for frayed cops
Events tough ask because over-worked officers like ‘zombies’, says security expert
Aleading security expert believes the reason police wanted Anzac events curtailed was because many frontline officers were out on their feet.
Security analyst Paul Buchanan from 36th Parallel Assessments said the heavy emphasis on security since the Christchurch attacks was based on a “blueprint” commonly used in Europe in which countries went into a high-risk alert status for four to six weeks.
The idea was to show an “abundance of caution” because there was typically a higher risk of revenge attacks immediately after terrorist events.
In New Zealand, this had led police to offer 24/7 protection to all mosque and Muslim community centres and that was yet to be wound back.
But there was no intelligence indicating an attack was imminent, Buchanan said. Therefore, a police request to hold fewer Anzac Day events was about logistics.
“We simply don’t have the manpower at the moment to do security for all the original Anzac Day
commemorations,” he said. “I happen to have friends who are police officers, they are zombies . . . overworked and underpaid.”
Auckland Council has scrapped 58 planned Anzac Day events, with just 26 services being held.
Police Association president Chris Cahill said officers across the country were doing extended duties, but he was not hearing any grumbles.
Some were understandably tired, but they were also being looked after by police management, he said.
In the past month there had been more than 200 on-site psychologist sessions with staff which wouldn’t usually happen, as well as hundreds of trauma referrals. Neck and shoulder massages had also been arranged.
Cahill agreed with Buchanan that logistics would have been a factor in police asking for fewer events. An extra 1000 officers had been rostered on Anzac Day.
“They are getting tired which is natural and as long as the shifts are rotated regularly — clearly everyone knows we want to get through Anzac Day and then we will see where things are looking after that.”
However he said feedback from a number of members was that the positive response from the public was making it a bit easier.
A police spokeswoman said police would maintain a “heightened presence and readiness, in line with the national threat level remaining high”.
“This includes continued armed guards at events of significance,” she said.
“Our advice to churches regarding Easter gatherings is the same for any type of large [event] while the threat level is high — remain vigilant and report anything suspicious.”
We simply don’t have the manpower at the moment to do security for all the original Anzac Day commemorations.
Paul Buchanan