Speech
Police Recruit Wing 247 Graduation
May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the afternoon (Sign)
May I specifically greet you: Acting Commissioner Lyn Provost; Your Worship Jenny Brash, Mayor of Porirua; Greg O'Connor, President of the New Zealand Police Association; Distinguished Guests of the Police this afternoon; Police College Chief, Superintendent Mike Wilson; Section Heads Sergeants Andrew Heffey and Kahu Ratana; Police College graduates; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Addressing myself to you graduates, the focus of today's event, from Albiston to Zhu, may I thank you for inviting my wife Susan and I to attend your graduation as Police Recruit Wing 247.
In September last year, as Patron of your wing, I spoke at the ceremony just as you were about to begin your training here at the Royal New Zealand Police College. Since then, I met with you in October when your training was well underway and when we lunched together. I also met you when you toured Government House in December. Today, five months after our initial meeting, it is a matter of pleasure that we gather as you graduate and begin your careers as New Zealand Police Officers.
The organisation you are about to enter as Police Officers has a history about as old as this country itself. With the arrival of my predecessor, Lt Governor Captain William Hobson, and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi 168 years ago in 1840, people were appointed to act as police officers and police magistrates.
Six years later, what was described as New Zealand's first constabulary force was established, although on a provincial basis. It was a difficult time for many of those first officers. For example the gold rushes of the 1860s in Otago and Canterbury and the influx of people to remote areas made it difficult for the peace to be kept. The New Zealand Wars also saw the establishment of an Armed Constabulary in 1867. It can be said that we continue to live with the legacy of those wars to this day.
A truly national, civil, police force was established under the Police Act 1886 and a man named John Nash was made New Zealand's first non-commissioned police officer. That legislation had two hallmarks maintained by the New Zealand Police down to the present day. The force was first to be generally unarmed and secondly it was to operate through a single, national structure, albeit with a strong community focus.
Fifty years ago in 1958 a new Police Act was passed in which the word 'force' was removed. The name now used is The New Zealand Police.
While no organisation is perfect, and there is always room for improvement, I believe New Zealand has been well served by one of the most professional police operations in the world.
As new officers, you will be the first people to encounter new things in your future service. Following the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct by Dame Margaret Bazley, and an earlier review by the Police Complaints Authority by retired Judge, Sir Rodney Gallen, several changes in the way police conduct is handled, are being implemented.
They are the IPCA and the Police legislation. First, the Authority has been renamed the Independent Police Conduct Authority and given greater powers. While the former Authority was always independent from the Police, its reliance on the Police to carry out most of its investigations created the perception that it was not independent. Sir Rodney put it well when he said the situation simply "looked wrong".
As well, however hard the Police tried to be impartial when investigating their own, it was almost inevitable that when an investigation did not recommend prosecution or disciplinary action, that claims of bias would be levelled at them. As time passed, it became clear that the Authority's reliance on the Police to carry most investigations had inherent disadvantages, not only for the complainants, but also for the Authority, the Police officers undertaking the investigation and for the officers being investigated.
The new name for the Authority symbolises that the Authority is independent of the Police, both in fact and in name, and that its role is about more than just handling complaints, but overseeing police conduct. I believe this will be a significant improvement over the previous arrangements and it was with pleasure that I provided the Assent to the Bill that brought these changes about it. When combined with many initiatives your Commissioner, Howard Broad, is implementing, they will give all New Zealanders greater confidence about the conduct of their police.
The second key change is that of ongoing review of the Police Act. Late last year, after an extensive public consultation exercise, a draft Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. In an innovative move that drew favourable international attention, the Police allowed the public to directly contribute to a draft Bill through an online tool similar to that used by the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. Congratulations are due to the Police on the work carried out in reviewing the Act.
While it is, of course, too early to suggest what the outcome of Parliament's deliberations might be, it is fair to say that whatever form the final legislation takes, it will set the tone for policing in this country for many years to come. That it is called a "policing" bill rather than "police" bill speaks something of a different approach.
In going about your work, I can think of no better guide than British 19th Century politician, Sir Robert Peel, who is regarded as the founder of modern policing and whose first name led to the term "bobbies" as a nickname for police officers. As you have, I imagine, encountered in your training, Peel outlined nine principles of policing that remain as valid today as they were when he expounded them more than 150 years ago.
Reading the six principles and seven functions in the new Policing Bill, one can hear Peel's principles reverberating, particularly the most memorable that "the police are the public and the public are the police." Sir Robert recognised that effective policing relied on community support, not by currying favour with or usurping the judiciary, but by impartially servicing the law and only using force when persuasion, advice and warning were found to be insufficient.
As I said at your commencement meeting, in gaining community support you will have to recognise and adapt to the increasing diversity of New Zealand society, in ethnicity and culture, in religion and in family and personal relationships. In other words, the learning and training that began five months ago, and is recognised here today at your graduation, will continue, especially for those of you who go on and seek promotion.
You are now about to embark on careers with our country's Police - careers that, while highly challenging, I am sure, will also be highly rewarding. I wish you all the best for the future and as Wing Patron, I look forward to observing your progress in the months and years ahead.
And on that note of congratulation and anticipation, I will close in our country's first language, Maori, issuing greetings and wishing each of you good health and fortitude in your future endeavours. No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.