Luke Kirkness: Police need to be respected more and not blamed for increasing crime rates

OPINION:

No one deserves to be attacked while they're at work but that's exactly what's happening for many of our local police officers.

It shows a clear lack of respect towards police which is totally undeserved.

New police data showed nearly 300 Bay of Plenty Police officers reported being assaulted between 2017 and 2021.

Rotorua had more assaults than any other area of the region and nationwide there were 2633 assaults reported over the five-year period.

Cops in Bay of Plenty Police District were spat at 124 times, second only to Counties Manukau with 127. The district was the fifth-highest for 'hit or bitten assaults' in the country with 153.

Policing in New Zealand is being put through the wringer lately amid concern about the impact of crime on communities.

Policing in New Zealand is being put through the wringer lately amid rising crime rates. Photo / NZPA

Last week I reported local police had pulled out their guns on people nearly 120 times over the past two years. While that figure is alarming, it is pleasing to know there were only two firearm discharges over that period.

One of the readers of the article about cops being assaulted thought the justice system was too lenient on criminals.

Another thought the country was becoming a sink estate and soon all civilised residents will have retreated to gated communities for safety.

I don't agree but I understand how people aren't feeling particularly safe at the moment.

Every day there's a new headline about bus stop assaults, the latest shop busted open with a stolen car or another gang causing a ruckus somewhere.

The good news is the New Zealand Police - Nga Pirihimana O Aotearoa is not going anywhere.

Nearly 900 firearms were seized by police in this region alone between 2019 and 2021, 44 of which were prohibited by law.

This is an encouraging sign but the buck stops with us - normal people.

I don't expect you to dig out your old cricket gear and become a vigilante but we can help in other ways.

The best thing you can do is call 111 when you see something alarming or out of place but the easiest thing we can do is respect the police.

They're not sitting around waiting for the country to become the Wild West, in fact, they're working hard to stop that from happening.

They certainly don't deserve to be spat at, bitten or hit.

Next time you see a police officer, spare a thought for what they need to deal with day in and day out and maybe shake their hand or buy them a coffee.

If they're empowered, respected and beloved by the community instead of blamed and lambasted about crime, I think we'll see positive changes.