Chris Cahill: Police Association Chief Executive on police using force more often and facing increasing levels of violence

Police are using force 9 percent more often and are facing increasing levels of violence. 

The Annual Tactical Options Report provides an overview of what officers face and the tactics they use. 

Nearly 1 in 10 events where force is used involves a gang member. The report reveals gang members are 25 percent more likely to be armed with a firearm than any other offender.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Twelve past five, Heller, do see out down to something else.
Coppers are having to use force more often nowadays. According
to the annual Tactical Options Report, the use of force
by police is up nine percent in the last year.
Chris Carhill is the Police Association's Chief executive.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, Chris, good afternoon, Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Why is there this increase in police having to use force?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, it's the nature of the incidents police are having
to attend. But some good news in this. While it
has increased nine percent, the number of incidents police of
attendant has increased eleven percent, so that's actually a net decrease,
so that's quite a positive outcome.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
And when we talk about them having to use force,
is this everything from having to use a firearm through
to just having to tackle somebody to the ground. Is
that what we're talking about?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, exactly, So it can be what we call empty
hand tactics right through the use of pepper spray, tasers
and in the worst case scenario of firearms.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
This is this because Chris, we are seeing this increased
level of violence being imported from Australia or is it
because we ourselves more agro than we were some time ago?

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Now it is really I think a state of more
people are willing to have a go with police, but
it can depend on the type of instance. We've clearly
got some significant mental health issues in New Zealand and
unfortunately a lot of the time police have to deploy
tactical options on people suffering mental distress. That's why I
really please to see some changes and who actually takes

(01:24):
responsibility for those incidents as well.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Chris I was surprised at how much of a hassle
gang members are. They only make up zero point two
percent of the national population according to this report, but
they accounted for nine percent of these tactical events.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, and they o the biggest concern I think as
a group because they also have sharing much more of
the willingness to have a go at police. That is
something that I think the five oh one deportees has changed. Also,
that the younger group of people joining police and sorry,
joining gangs, who have a different response to get to
police officers as a concern to me, and obviously've got

(02:00):
to address wire young people joining gangs. But equally the level
of violence is consuming for officers.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
So I mean when cops are dealing with non gang
offenders like an offender who isn't patched eight percent of
them likely to be armed, with gang members twenty five
percent of them likely to be armed. That number is
so high. Are the cops routinely just arming up themselves
when they have to go deal with the gangs?

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Now, look at frontline cops will tell you when they
stop a gang car, they believe that there's such a
high chart of a firearm being present that they created
life was likely to be And that's the risk assessment
they take. And you know, you can understand why they
would see these statistics.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Chris, it's good to talk to you. Thank you for that.
Appreciated this. Chris car Hill, the chief executive of the
Police Association on that. Did you see there was a
shooting in gray Lin last night? Now? Now Graylan is
suck a nice part of Auckland, right, it's being gentrified.
It's full of people who are professionals and families and
stuff like that. So we are shooting in Graylan is
kind of a slightly shocking thing. That was the fourth
homicide and investigation that a police have launched just in

(03:01):
the last ten days. That's just in Auckland. Okay, four
homicide investigations in ten days in one city. For the
North Island, the numbers are even more staggering. Just since
the start of August. That's just slightly over a month, right,
a month and five days, ten homicide investigations. What the
hell is going on? And the one in gray Lin

(03:22):
is not even like it's pity as all hell. No
gang's involved, Yeah, some criminals. What it was was a
bit of a neighborly dispute, damage to property, broken windows
on cars and houses, escalated, kid gets shot on the street. Not' say.
For more from Heather Duplassy Allen Drive, Listen live to
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(03:42):
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