Tania Kura: Police Deputy Commissioner on the effectiveness of the gang patch ban

The Police Deputy Commissioner says staff are pleasantly surprised at the effectiveness of banning gang patches.  

Rival gang tensions in Gisborne mean officers have just been given extra powers to search and impound vehicles and seize weapons, following eight incidents in a week.  

Tania Kura told Mike Hosking the gang patch ban has been really good for them. 

She says it's brought more control to the situation, with staff admitting it's probably gone better than they thought.  

However, Kura says this doesn't mean they can rest on their laurels either. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The gangs are back in Gisban. Last week there were
eight firearm and assult related incidents. A gang conflict warrant
has been issued. Now the Deputy Commissioner Tanya Kurras with
us on this time. Your morning to you, good morning,
how are you mane very well? Thank you? What are
the specifics of a gang conflict warrant? What happens when
you get one of those.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
A range of powers for us, but it start quite
disruptive and basically what we aim for is disruption and
suppression of the activity. But it gives us the ability
to stop and search gang members and vehicles at any time,
quite invasive, because it's our choice and in our time.
On this particular warrant, we've got ability to go into vehicles,

(00:39):
which we've found works quite well. It seems to signal
really early two gang members and our community doesn't get
what you're doing. We're going to intervene. We can on
occasion get ability to go into people's homes, which also
that's quite invasive as well. On this particular occasion, dealing

(01:00):
with vehicles for the moment has made a bit of
a difference. We've seen we've had invoked the search power
five times in the last twenty four hours. Sees the
pure offensive weapons, that's things like you know, Batten's knives,
that type of stuff, and had one arrest for someone
who was wearing for the gang Patch band stuff. So

(01:24):
somebody wearing some gang of galia.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
So this stuff you've done so far, is it enough
or you're going to need to do more?

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well. Investigations ongoing because ultimately, you know, we want somebody
locked up, we want somebody dealt with for the behavior itself.
The other thing that we're really thoughtful about is, you
know the gang the gun environment. You know, actually where
did those firearms come from? You know, how did they
get You know, there's a sense to be a continuous

(01:52):
supply that you know, interestingly for me is like looking
at Gisbone. You know this is an aunt goes you know,
month on months. We have this type of behavior between gangs.
An ability to resolve is you know that you use
firearms to resolve conflict. Some of it can be really
low level too, for stuff you go that is mental

(02:14):
that we're doing that, and I kind of I look
at that and go, you know, this goes on and
on and those you know, those communities and busy are
so resilient, and they they just kind of they look
at their gang members and go, oh my god, here
we go again.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Exactly. I'm so I'm as sick of it as clearly
as clearly you are. The new powers and rules that
you have at your disposal. Do you get the sense
that they're working, because I'm just a bit depressed that
the gangs are back in the news, that's all.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah. I actually I think we'd all be probably pleasantly
surprised that the gang patch Bean has been really good.
It's kind of it's made that presence and a bit
of control come back into the situation. I think that's
you know, I to our staff, it's probably gone better
than we thought. But we don't want to rest on
our laurels either because it just drives a different type

(03:06):
of behavior. So I think that actually there has been
some success around that, but it's a long burn, like
we need to keep on. It doesn't mean that their
games have stopped behaving badly, you know, it means that
the public can feel that much better, So I think
it does. It has made a difference, and for our

(03:27):
staff it's also it's a really good saying when you
get the confidence to deal with things front for it.
That's really good too.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Good stuff, Tony. You're nice to talk to you and
go well with the good work. Tony Kurra, who's the
deputy police commissioner. Is it just me? I like it?
She seemed a very likable sort of woman. For more
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