Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has announced a National Gang Unit to crack down on gang crime and gangs’ anti-social behaviour. Video / NZ Herald
The Police Association isn’t yet convinced of the value of police’s new National Gang Unit intended to help enforce the Government’s policies targeting gangs.
Association president Chris Cahill says without more information on the unit’s budget and where its staff will come from, the proposal appears to simply increase the workload for an already stretched police force.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster acknowledged there was a limit to what information could be shared ahead of a consultation process that would address where funds might be shifted from within police’s budget to fund the new units.
However, he expressed confidence in the proposal and believed it would be up and running before the Government’s policies became legislation, expected to be in November.
Coster, together with Police Minister Mark Mitchell, announced the new national unit staffed by about 25-30 officers would be operational from July. It would sit above Gang Disruption Units based in different districts, expected to be staffed by about seven officers each.
The pair were unable to elaborate on the cost of the new units, saying that was Budget-sensitive. However, he did estimate the total funding would be made of an equal split of new and existing funding.
Coster also couldn’t specify whether new officers would be hired to staff the units or if they would come from other areas within police.
He was confident the plan would help police enforce the impending powers the Government’s policies proposed.
“The new gang units will boost our focus and capability, but they are not working alone – our whole frontline is involved in preventing the crime and harm caused by methamphetamine, organised crime, and gangs, whether through road policing, organised crime investigations, prosecutions, or prevention activity.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster speak at a press conference in Auckland. Photo / Ben Dickens
There would be no targets in place for the units, Coster said. Instead, their value would be judged through the level of harm gangs caused in communities.
To prove the negative impact of gangs, Coster cited data which said 18 per cent of victimisations associated with serious violent crime - homicides, assaults and abductions - were linked to gang members.
Cahill, speaking to the Herald, supported more powers becoming available to police but was sceptical given today’s announcement was light on detail.
“I very much want to see the proof of the pudding of where these resources are coming from and the budget to back them up.
“To be honest, it looks like an announcement that sounds good with flash new name, I’m not sure that there’s any evidence that it’s actually going to be extra resources or actually a game changer.”
Cahill highlighted how there were existing teams focused on gang activity in different regions and questioned whether the local units proposed today would be any different or lead to an increased workload.
University of Canterbury sociologist and author of Patched: the History of Gangs in New Zealand Dr Jarrod Gilbert interpreted today’s proposal as the police responding to a changing political environment and public sentiment towards gangs.
“I would suspect a political environment reflects public views that the overt gang violence and disorder are unacceptable and need attention.”
National, Act and New Zealand First all campaigned on having a tougher approach to crime. The coalition Government has announced targets to reduce the number of victims of violent offences and levels of youth crime by 2029.
Gilbert expected some gang members would accept the new laws but others would take longer to adjust.
“It’s going to be enormously resource intensive early on and furthermore, it has the potential to create really serious tensions which is something that will be of concern to police.”
He also predicted the new police powers would have “no discernible impact on crime rates”.
Labour’s police spokeswoman Ginny Andersen said without key detail, it appeared the Government had announced “more of the same” and was concerned about how police could staff the units.
“They will be using the same people doing the same work under a different label because there are only so many detectives and trained people who work in that space currently in New Zealand.”
After today’s announcement, Andersen - also the former police minister - posted a short video to social media that featured Coster at today’s press conference looking down accompanied by a cover of Paul Simon’s The Sound of Silence which includes the iconic lyrics “Hello darkness my old friend”.
While in Opposition, Mitchell was a strong critic of Coster’s approach to policing under the previous Labour Government, which led to speculation about the longevity of Coster’s position as commissioner when National came into power.
Asked whether she thought Coster seemed sad, Andersen didn’t answer and said people could make up their own minds.
Coster laughed when asked about the clip but said he hadn’t seen it.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
