CRIME SCENE ATTENDANTS
New Zealand Police National News Release
11:04am 20 November 2006
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=2741

Twenty Six Crime Attendants Appointed

Twenty six newly-appointed and trained non-sworn crime scene [civilian] attendants will start their new careers with Auckland City and Counties/Manukau Police districts on November 22.

The attendants - or CSA's - were appointed late last month after the newly created positions were advertised earlier in October. An overwhelming 600 expressions of interest were recorded.

Non-sworn crime scene attendants will be responsible for scene examinations and the collection of forensic evidence from volume crime scenes such as burglaries and recovered vehicles.

Auckland City appointees have a range of specialist skills including tertiary forensic qualifications and assorted science degrees. All of them have significant customer service experience and skills.

The non-sworn CSA concept was piloted in the eastern area of the City District for two years and it has been so successful that Auckland City District Commander, Detective Superintendent Gavin Jones, sought the new positions under the provisions of the Government New Initiatives announced late last year.

Counties Manukau CSA's range in experience from being ex-UK and South African Police Officers, to staff with forensic qualifications and non-sworn policing backgrounds.

Each of the two districts have appointed 13 new CSA's who are currently in training and who will continue to work alongside sworn staff until they are confident and competent to take full responsibility for their roles.

The appointment of more CSAs reflects Police commitment to improving service delivery to complainants by providing more timely and specialist responses to incidents and improved feedback to victims on the progress, or otherwise, of inquiries into those incidents.

"By actively recruiting specialist staff to carry out specialist tasks, we're able to deploy more frontline staff to more urgent duties and requests for service," Mr Jones said.

ENDS

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