Fear of risky 111 calls spurs extra training

Frontline police officers are increasingly fearful of being attacked or shot on the job and some have refused to go to highrisk callouts.

As a result most frontline constables will get an extra week of training this year to help them cope with the increasing risks.

The Frontline Skills Enhancement Course will also help make use of the mothballed Police Training College in Porirua, which is not processing new recruits for the time being.

The course will take 1200 constables with at least two years’ experience, aiming to improve their tactical and operational skills. Police say it comes following staff feedback, specifically on the need for practical firearms training, tactical communications training, and even first aid.

Police Assistant Commissioner Tusha Penny said the course was part of the police’s Frontline Safety Improvement Programme, set up by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster last year.

‘‘A really big component of this was listening to our people who are on the street every shift to ensure that our training is aligned with our operational requirements,’’ Penny said.

Those operational requirements appear to be changing fast: The proliferation of firearms and a general increase in aggression from offenders has frontline cops concerned. RNZ has learnt of times constables have refused to attend callouts, such is the fear of jobs turning out badly.

Police Association president Chris Cahill said it was no surprise that staff were fearful heading to some jobs because they are only human.

‘‘I think it’s a reflection of what we’re seeing, the dangers out there,’’ Cahill said. ‘‘That’s why this training is really only one part of the safety improvement programme.

‘‘We see the deployment and looking at how the officers are deployed, single crewing, those sorts of things, as being important to consider as well, and also what equipment they have.’’

Penny said she has not heard of staff refusing to attend jobs, but that does not mean it has not happened.

‘‘What I do know about policing is: They’re mums and dads and sons and daughters and uncles and aunties, and I couldn’t respect our frontline more if I tried,’’ Penny said.

‘‘These are our community members who step up to be guardians who say, you know what, when someone rings 111, and it’s their darkest day, or there are incidents that the community want to run from, we’re actually gonna go and we’re gonna try and keep everyone safe.’’

The flip side of the fear officers are experiencing on the job is when things go wrong. The Independent Police Conduct Authority has seen a rise in complaints in recent years, and one theme is situations where officers have mishandled situations.

RNZ has been told there is always a worst-case scenario in an officer’s mind, and without adequate training, they are often overreacting to lesser incidents.

Penny said those incidents were dealt with by the IPCA when they arose, and they helped to inform training blocks like the ones frontline constables will undertake.

Cahill said policing in the moment was no easy task. He said this course would only improve those outcomes.

Constables have refused to attend callouts, such is the fear of jobs turning out badly.