NZ Council for Civil Liberties

Submission: Police Tactical Response Model

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About the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties

1. The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization which advocates to promote human rights and maintain civil liberties.

Concerns

2.Te Tiriti places on Police an obligation to conduct co-governance, as it does for all government agencies. 

3. The Council believes that the consultation process used by Police for this Tactical Response Model, and in similar circumstances recently, fails to reach the lowest standard in the IAP2’s Spectrum of Public Participation. The lowest standard, Inform, requires Police “to provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.”  The Council doubts the objectivity and completeness of the information provided, and notes the complete absence of alternatives.

4. Regardless of the adequacy of information, this consultation is at the Inform end of the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation, when it should be at the Empower end.

5. Having already noted the lack of sufficient information to inform consent, the information provided indicates a stable level of safety. The recent shooting of a Police officer is unfortunate. However it is not part of a trend, and is not sufficient grounds for the change being proposed.

6. The Council believes as a matter of principle that the Justice system should aim to minimize its impact on people. Specifically for this consultation, we believe that Police should be seeking ways to reduce their duties and capabilities, not to expand them. Instead of adding armed police to our streets, we should be adding mental health workers and other harm reducing interventions.

7. The Council notes with grave concern the consensus that Police use more force and use force more often against tangata whenua and other minority groups. Given that, we have to consider the Tactical Response Model to discriminate unfairly on the basis of race.

Recommendation

  1. The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties recommends:
    1. The rejection of the Tactical Response Model; and
    2. A co-governance process to replace this consultation process.