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Thread ID: 129813	2013-03-14 22:13:00	From the Police Commisioner March 14, 2103	WalOne (4202)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1332769	2013-03-14 22:13:00	No shame, but a definite challenge March 14, 2013 Last week you may have seen media reports that I had taken the PCT - the physical competency test all police officers up to the rank of senior sergeant must take if they work on the front line. It's a challenging obstacle course which must be completed in a certain time, adjusted to take account of the participant's age. It was reported that in passing the PCT I "put to shame" other officers. This wasn't my intention - rather I wanted to give encouragement to those yet to tackle the test. Media stories about hundreds of officers being removed from frontline duty because they hadn't passed the PCT missed the point. The fact is we have close to 96 percent compliance - a magnificent result and a rarity in law enforcement internationally. I'm delighted with what's been achieved and colleagues who need assistance with compliance, perhaps because of injury or illness, will receive it. Having said that, some staff need to get off their backsides and on to the course. I issue a challenge, particularly to my commissioned officer colleagues. Many have already passed the PCT though they aren't required to. There are others, however, who would definitely benefit from this healthy course of action. The important message is for our staff to get fit and stay fit. It's not only an investment for New Zealand Police - it's an important personal investment for them and their families. It's also a great investment for our communities, as was demonstrated in Napier last weekend. Constables Paul Bailey and Bryan Farquharson, the officers who waded into thunderous seas to save young Josh, showed not only great courage, but also their fitness for their job. On a video on the NZ Herald website you can hear an onlooker comment: "Good thing the police have to do that extra training to get fit". Beyond this, I was full of admiration for all involved in the rescue and the "human chain" which pulled those in the sea to safety and told the police staff so when I telephoned them. Well done to all police and public who played a part. As we know, when police and public pull together - no pun intended - the results can be stunning. Staying with the sea, I absolutely support the constable who shot a shark to allow recovery of Adam Strange's body at Muriwai. There are many armchair critics out there - as became evident when some people chose to criticise the officer in total disregard for the reality of the situation and the need to return Adam to his family. There's a saying that the best protection against sharks is the shade of a tree - luckily there are people prepared to give up safety and comfort to help and protect others. The constable acted with great courage in the face of great danger and did the only thing possible. Elsewhere, congratulations to staff in Waikato and Auckland who worked on two investigations that saw $6.3 million in assets and cash seized from people involved in the drugs trade. These were great results which hit criminals where it hurts most. It's money which motivates organised crime, and we're ready to take it away. There have been further examples of the intense scrutiny police work attracts. This week the Independent Police Conduct Authority declined to investigate the case of three officers who wore identical serial numbers while evicting Occupy Auckland protesters last year. A Dominion Post editorial criticised that decision and suggested the original incident raised questions about "police culture". I won't comment on the editorial, but I have urged staff to read it and consider how stupid or thoughtless behaviour can generate such negative commentary. Such own goals are particularly galling, considering all the great work we do. More positively, the IPCA today released a report into the Taser-assisted arrest of an intoxicated and aggressive man in Christchurch. Video of the incident from the Taser's built-in camera was obtained despite our concerns and used in a biased and selective TV report. The IPCA found the Taser use was justified, and pointed out that the 12-second video showed nothing of the violent situation our officers faced, and which the TV report chose to overlook. At a time when almost every passer-by with a phone can film an arrest, I welcome this warning of the dangers of using portions of such material out of context. Stay safe and look after each other. Peter Marshall	WalOne (4202)
1332770	2013-03-14 22:40:00	These regular updates are awesome Walone - where do you get them from?	johcar (6283)
1332771	2013-03-14 23:11:00	Try the NZ Police website John.	Richard (739)
1332772	2013-03-14 23:16:00	Try the NZ Police website John. Ahhh! Was thinking Walone had an 'in' with the Police....	johcar (6283)
1332773	2013-03-15 00:26:00	No great secret, John. Anyone can subscribe and also get any current alerts. I've taken on the task of re-posting as a way of getting across the message that our Police force do care, and do try. Sure there are some bad apples but on the whole, we're pretty fortunate. But we also only hear about those from our self serving press who ignore the good things and the human face of the boys in blue.	WalOne (4202)
1332774	2013-03-15 01:48:00	"PCT - the physical competency test all police officers up to the rank of senior sergeant must take if they work on the front line." Kind of wonder what the point of this is as most cops just sit in their cars all day.. I know someone who is trying to get in. She keeps failing the swim test. She was told off the record if she was brown skinned they would have overlooked this..	paulw (1826)
1332775	2013-03-15 01:56:00	"PCT - the physical competency test all police officers up to the rank of senior sergeant must take if they work on the front line." Kind of wonder what the point of this is as most cops just sit in their cars all day.. I know someone who is trying to get in. She keeps failing the swim test. She was told off the record if she was brown skinned they would have overlooked this.. Bit of that going around: www.careers.govt.nz	prefect (6291)
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