Stuart Nash: time for change in Bay's policing strategy

Labour MP for Napier Stuart Nash.

The 2016 police culture survey is a terrible result for the Eastern Districts and the Police Minister Judith Collins.

If the Minister of Police needed any more evidence that things need to change in the Bay and that we need extra funding for more front line police, then the culture survey is it.

We are in the Eastern District, which stretches from Gisborne down to Southern Hawke's Bay. Of the ten 'Key Driver Questions' in the survey, the Eastern District received the lowest score in six out of the Nation's eleven policing districts (Central districts received the lowest score in one question and Northland in three). These were:

50% of officers said that 'Police is an enjoyable place to work (nationally 70.9%)
37% say they feel that they are working for an effective organisation (60.5%)
33% said they feel as if there is a sense of common purpose (57.4%)
27% said that day-to-day decisions demonstrate that quality of services is a top priority (46.6%)
22% said that Communication in my District or my Service Centre is open and honest (46.2%)
19% agreed that 'NZ Police is interested in the views and opinions of its staff (39%)

Nationally, nearly 60% of police staff believe that police do not deliver on promises they make to the public and 55% of police stated that they had an unacceptable level of work-related stress.

To make matters worse in terms of workload and work stress, police must now personally investigate every house that's been burgled. Currently police only investigate around 70% of burglaries, so to turn up at every place creates around 40% more work. Incidentally, I agree with the policy that police should investigate every burglary, but only if the police have the numbers to 'deliver on the promises made to the public'.

What I am hearing on the streets of Napier is that people have an immense amount of respect for the police, but they are losing confidence in the police's ability to keep us safe, solve crime and put the bad guys behind bars. People don't blame the front line officers at all, but have a sense that something is very wrong up top. Gaining the public's confidence takes a while; losing it not so long.

So what's the solution? In my opinion, there are three initiatives that must be instigated immediately if Police is to repair a damaged culture as highlighted by this workplace survey.

These must be undertaken in a genuine manner because if staff believe new initiatives are merely tokenism, they will backfire.

1. We urgently need more police on the ground in the Bay. We simply haven't the men and women on the front line to do the job. There are times when there is no car on patrol in Napier. The District Commander must petition the Commissioner for an increase in the allocated number of officers to our region. I am more than happy to front any campaign with the district commander because police - and car - numbers in the Bay are simply inadequate to do the job.

2. Instigate an effective internal and external communication strategy. There is a serious communication problem when only 19% of staff believe their views are valued and only 22% say that communication is open and honest. During my street corner meetings, police resourcing and the changes in Napier is the biggest topic of concern by far.

3. Put measures in place that ensure people feel valued; that they come to work for a reason and are making a difference. This is the hardest thing to do, but the most important because this is what drives cultural change.

The problems identified by the police culture survey must be addressed for the police themselves to do the job we require of them and, just as importantly, for them to feel as if they are serving our communities in the manner they know they should be doing.

Time for change in the policing strategy in the Bay and time for the Minister to provide us with the resourcing we need for the hardworking front line officers to do their job effectively.

Stuart Nash is the MP for Napier and Labour's police spokesperson.