10. CHESTER BORROWS (National—Whanganui) Link to this
to the Minister of Police
Does she stand by her statement that “Over the past 18 months, since I became Police Minister, I have regularly received verbal assurances and updates from the police administration that the standard of police graduating from the college is being maintained”; if so, why?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Police) Link to this
Yes. I have regularly received updates because I want to see continuing high standards for graduates.
How can she be so well informed when she did not receive the report by police college instructor and psychologist Iain Saunders criticising the low mental ability of some recruits until Monday 25 June, which was after the story broke in Saturday’s newspaper and months after it was submitted?
Because as a Minister I do not rely on one report from police headquarters; I receive a report regularly. In fact, I receive a report on recruitment into the New Zealand Police every week.
Charles ChauvelIs the Minister aware of the comments by Chester Borrows that there should be some leeway when considering applicants with offences?
Yes, I have seen comments by Chester Borrows that there is a place for a case by case approach to people who have committed offences. I wonder whether the following case would be one of the ones we should take a case by case approach to, as it is one that Chester Borrows criticised. It was a case of an applicant who had committed an assault offence. An investigation showed that the applicant was 20 at the time. He was 31 when recruited. The applicant had confronted an offender who had burgled his house three times. He hit the offender while waiting for the police to arrive, after the offender had laughed at him when he asked for his personal belongings back.
What reasons has the Minister been given for not immediately seeing a report that describes a recruit as having to form letters inside bubble shapes, like a 5-year-old; that describes an intelligence standard that allows recruits only in the 23rd percentile to progress; and emphatically states that the public and the future of the police are at significant risk—all of which was known to the office of the Commissioner of Police?
When I was informed of this report I asked for it. I then found that we had a number of reports that were conflicting, and as members of this House know, I sought an independent assessment of the training standards. It will be available at the end of September.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. My question specifically asked what reason she had been given for not immediately seeing the report. She did not give any reasons and did not address that specific question.
Madam SPEAKERAll I am going to say is that the report itself was an internal report done for debate. I did not necessarily need to see it. What I need to know is that standards are being maintained. I receive a report every week from headquarters. I have no reason to doubt the integrity of those who are reporting to me.
Is the Minister aware of any other information that places the circumstances of offences committed by serving police officers in context?
Yes, and I think this was a very unfortunate issue that was raised by Chester Borrows for a headline. He never looked behind the issue, but he did make the point that maybe we should look at these things on a case by case basis. If he asked for that information he would know that many of those offences—in fact, most of them—happened when people when were young, that they were much older when recruited, and that the offences were at the minor end. I can give another example, which involves an offence of theft. The applicant was a university student at the time of the offence, and was 30 when recruited. The applicant took an ornamental pot plant from outside a house while walking home from a night drinking in town.
Has the Minister now got a response to comments from Senior Sergeant Saunders that “Some of our staff are in a very vulnerable position and some of the public are probably being placed at risk or offered very poor service.”, and that “The police … are at risk of claims of negligent hiring because we know these things.”, or does she still protest that these are operational matters and have nothing to do with her as Minister?
No, I take all those issues seriously. That is why I sought an independent assessment, which will be available to all members of the House and to the public of New Zealand, so they can look at those issues. But I would hope that the member, who is a former police officer, would stop beating up on the police. They have, frankly, had a gutsful of it. There are many good men and women out there who work hard for the public of New Zealand, and they put up with that tripe day after day.
Is the Minister aware of any further information that places the circumstances of offences committed by police recruits in context?