Wayne Mapp: Law And Order Policies
www.waynemapp.co.nz
Law And Order Policies
John Key announcement
This week John Key announced major elements of National’s law and order policies. The safety of our society, and freedom from crime is a huge concern to New Zealanders. They want to know that National has effective policies to deal with crime, and also with the causes of crime.
New police powers
The
announcement largely deals with police powers, and in
particular the tools to detect and apprehend criminals.
There will be announcements in the future on sentencing and
rehabilitation of offenders.
The fundamental role of the police is to apprehend and prosecute offenders. To do this, they need to have the right tools to know who is an offender.
DNA samples
The first fundamental tool
that National will supply is the requirement that persons
arrested for an imprisonable offence will have to give a DNA
sample. This is already required of persons arrested for
offences with prison terms of seven years or more.
Currently, all people arrested have to provide their
fingerprints and are photographed. DNA is simply the modern
fingerprint. In the case of both DNA and fingerprinting,
they are intended to provide certainty of identification.
The record is only kept permanently if a person is
convicted.
DNA only on arrest
The arrest power is
actually a fundamental protection of citizens’ rights.
People can only be arrested if they are charged with an
offence. If they are charged with an offence, they have to
be brought before a Court. In New Zealand, there is no such
thing as arrest on suspicion, or detention for
questioning.
Civil rights are protected
I was not
surprised to hear civil liberties groups complaining, but
their concerns seem to be based on the false premise that
DNA would be able to be taken, even when a person was not
charged, and even if the person was acquitted. Neither of
those things is true. It can only be taken on arrest and
must be destroyed if the person is acquitted.
Taser
protection
National is also concerned to ensure police
have the right tools to protect the public and themselves.
We consider the taser trial has been effective, and that the
use of tasers helps everyone; the public, the police, and in
fact the offenders. Yes, it is painful, but it actually
protects the lives of everyone involved.
Clamping
down on gangs
National believes that the Police need
better legislative backing to make criminal gangs a key
target in the fight against crime. National will pass laws
that remove the legitimacy, power and status of gangs. The
key measures are:
1. The Crimes Act will be
amended to ensure that membership of a criminal gang is a
criminal offence in and of itself.
2. The Crimes Act
will be amended to make it easier for police to conduct
surveillance on and listen in on gang communications.
3.
The Local Government Act will be amended to give the police
increased power to remove and storm gang
fortifications.
4. National will make sure that
criminals with gang memberships are subject to harsher
sentences than their non-gang counterparts. We will amend
the Sentencing Act to make gang membership an aggravating
factor in sentencing.
The total package announced
yesterday will ensure the police have the tools to fight
crime. It is a fundamental right of people to live in a
crime free society. These measures are an essential part of
achieving that goal.
2 NOVEMBER 2007
Ends,