Organised crime “biggest threat to law and order in New Zealand”
Police officers have sent a chilling message to the nation’s leaders: organised crime now presents the single biggest threat to law and order in New Zealand.
The Police Association Members’ Survey, conducted by Nielsen and completed by more than 5,500 serving Police employees, asked members: “What do you believe is the most significant threat to law and order emerging in New Zealand?”
A massive forty-one percent (41%) identified gangs, organised crime, and/or the gang-controlled methamphetamine and drugs trade as the most significant threat. Concern amongst CIB staff was even higher (50%).
The huge concern about the emerging threat of gangs and organised crime far outstripped the next biggest concerns for frontline police, which were about the effectiveness of the courts and justice system (12%), and the threats posed by increasing violence (6%).
Warning cannot be ignored
Police Association Greg O’Connor said the survey results are a warning that New Zealand cannot afford to ignore.
“Police are on the frontline dealing with crime, so we always see the emerging issues long before they explode into public and political consciousness.
“Frontline police, through the Association, warned about the emergence of P more than 12 years ago. Unfortunately, it was literally years before Police at national headquarters level, and their political masters, took the threat seriously. By that time, as we all now know, the horse had bolted,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The fact police are so much more concerned about organised crime than violence, even though the increase in threats, assaults, and – tragically – deaths of police officers is undeniable, just goes to show how serious this issue has become.”
The serious threat now posed by complex and entrenched organised crime is largely a consequence of a failure to attack the methamphetamine trade early, according to Mr O’Connor.
“The amount of money derived from dealing P means the gangs have got richer, smarter, and better organised. They are now firmly focussed on diversifying their business, and broadening their sphere of influence into the nice end of town, where the opportunities to keep growing their criminal wealth are that much greater,” he said.
Legislation tackling “yesterday’s issues”
Last month, Parliament passed the Wanganui District Council (Prohibition on Gang Insignia) Bill, which will allow the District Council to ban gang regalia from designated areas in Wanganui (see separate story on page 116).
Also in May, the Police Association made submissions to Parliament’s Law and Order Select Committee, which is considering the Government’s Gangs and Organised Crime Bill.
This Bill makes minor changes to provisions around section 98A of the Crimes Act (the offence of ‘participation in an organised criminal group’), use of electronic interceptions in investigating the offence, and provisions allowing local councils to tear down ‘intimidating’ structures such as gang fortifications.
Mr O’Connor said these measures, while “nice to have”, will make little difference to gangs and organised crime.
“None of these measures will have organised criminals shaking in their boots. The reality is, gang patches and fortified pads are largely yesterday’s issues.
While there are still some chapters who are a bit slow to work it out, particularly in provincial New Zealand, most gangs have realised that public and police attention is simply bad for business.
The smart criminals have already taken off their patches. They have already moved their major operations into the ‘leafy suburbs’, and it will take more than tinkering with anti-gang legislation to root them out,” Mr O’Connor warned
