Roman Travers: Here's hoping yesterdays report leads to better equipping of police and laws to support them

I doubt that many of us will ever forget the protest action that took place for three weeks on the grounds of Parliament that began in February last year, lasting 23 days. 

Apart from the Springbok tour protests back in 1981 that lasted 56 days, I’ve not seen that level of barbaric, dishevelled and uncivilised behaviour in our society before. 

The protest in Wellington last year was hard to watch and even harder to stop watching. 

I’m hoping I never see it again, but given the false prophets that maraud maliciously amongst the vulnerable through the internet and organisations claiming to be churches, the reality is likely to be different. 

The 200 page Independent Police Conduct Authority report that was released yesterday shows that the police handled the situation well faced with extreme provocation.  

I wonder how many police have rethought their career, given the very poor direction given by senior staff who took too long to decide the best plan of action, tip-toeing around the parliamentary rose gardens and being overly sensitive to the baffled and bewildered assembling, many just looking for a fight.  

Another fault identified by the report is the lack of adequate law that determines what police can do in situations like this. Once again, pointing to our very inadequate and antiquated judicial system.  

I have great respect for our police. They were faced with a mob of whom 300 were eventually given criminal charges and there wasn’t enough of the right equipment for the job they had to do.  

Police officers are just as entitled to be supplied with the correct equipment to do the job as you or me, depending on the job that we do under health and safety laws. 

The difference between doctors, nurses, teachers, and other professions pushing for better conditions and pay increases, is that you rarely hear anything from the police.  

Sadly, the numbers that leave, say it at all.  

We expect to be safe, and to be kept safe in our communities. Anyone still opposed to the action taken by the police in Wellington last year, needs to remember just how vile and volatile the situation was.  

Here’s hoping that the best outcome from yesterday’s report, is that the pressing need for the police to be equipped for every possibility and some tweaking of the laws required for them to do it - is addressed at speed. 

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