February 25, 2025 • 8 mins
The Security Association is weighing in on speculation citizen's arrest and security guard powers are about to open up.
The Government is making an announcement this afternoon on its response to a ministerial advisory group's recommendations on retail crime.
Association CEO Gary Morrison says they've been advocating for additional security powers with training, which wouldn't apply to all guards.
Morrison says situational awareness is crucial - and the general public people would have to be very careful and know their own capabilities.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Mornings podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be joining me now is Gary Morrison, the CEO
of the New Zealand Security Association. A very good morning
to you, Gary.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Yeah, morning Kerry.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
The last time we spoke, when we were talking about
pitch Invaders, you talked about the Select Committee and the
Ministerial Advisory Group. Sorry, the Ministerial Advisory Group making submissions
are regarding the powers of citizens and security guards. Are
you happy thus far with the recommendations?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Look, I have distress. We don't know what the recommendations
are yet, and this is a lot of speculation and
we haven't actually heard what's been announced, so I do
have to qualify that we are speculating what may be
in there. Well, I concernly give a security perspective to
this discussion and some general concerns about the need for
safety and consideration around it.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Sure the Herald has speculated in minute detail as to
what the recommendations might be, but you're right, they're not
officially announced until two o'clock this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Correct, And I think we just need to be a
little bit careful. There's reference to cisms arrest there's talk
about powers for everybody, and they may be qualified a
little bit further in that announcement, we don't know, but
certainly from a security industry perspective, we've advocated for additional
power specific for security staff. And it is a high
(01:36):
risk environment when you start to talk about looking to
apprehend or detain offenders, and there is a lady just
before talking about lives et cetera, very very prevent we
talk about you need to be competent and confident to
have the ability to step into that type of situation.
And what we've advocated for is any security staff who
(01:58):
would be exercising those powers would go through a very
in depth five day training programs looking at prevention. So
how do you actually stop the offender coming in in
the first place, keep them out of the store, or
make the area where they're being watched. So the initial
stage is that deterrent effect on it. If you do
(02:19):
need to actually get involved, safety is critical. You need
to be aware of the environment, are there other people around,
et cetera, And you would only do it where it's
safe to do so that you would look to detain
that offender, and it's important there's police backup available. It's
important there's a secure area or safe area where that
defender could be taken to. So there's lots of considerations
(02:42):
around this, but if it's general public, we would be
counseling you have to be very careful around it and
know your own capability. Be aware. Is that offender carrying
a knife? And again I talked about the training. Part
of that is looking for maybe is there likely to
be weapons that can be used either being carried or nearby,
(03:03):
Are there other offenders nearby, etc. That situation awareness is very,
very critical to the whole situation.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, because the last thing you want is one of
your men and women not going back home to their
families because somebody is stealing a slab of beer.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Exactly right. And we don't advocate that this would be
a role for all security staff. Yeah, we would suggest
it's for those who have the right aptitude, the right abilities,
and things like fitness come into this. If you are
going to take on offender, there is a chance they
will get aggressive and you need to be able to
handle that situation and at the right time determine let
(03:43):
them go, let them walk away. Its safety becomes quite
critical around it, so it's not for all security staff.
It is for those who've got the right skills, have
gone through the training and know how to handle themselves
in that situation.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
The other thing is, I really do think the supermarkets
need to invest more in technology, not just facial recognition,
but the actual stuff that makes it not worth an
offenders while to take goods out of the supermarket. I
mean that's there are no bank robberies really anymore because
it's not worth their while. The cash isn't there. The
(04:18):
layout of the banks has changed, it's become not worth
any rob as well to rob a bank, and it
has to be like that for supermarkets totally.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Gree carry and giving powers to staff is it's part
of the solution, but it's not the solution. It's own right.
Technology has a role to play and one of the
things I didn't mention before. You know, again, with security staff,
normally they'd have stab resistant vests, so there's a degree
of safety through that. It's not full proof, that's for sure,
(04:50):
but it is something the normal public doesn't carry. Saying
with body cameras, we're not advocating advocating at all for
the use of weapons. We think that would inflame or
significantly impact onto the risk involved. But having a appropriate
training and the capability to handle that type of situation
is quite critical.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Would it be helpful for citizens to come to the
aid of security staff or would they be best left
to deal with a situation on their own?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Again, I go back as confident and competent. If you
have the knowledge of what you can do, you know
how to defend yourself, you understand reasonable force, and you've
got the ability to get involved and you can see
it safe to do so by all means. But the
public has to be very very careful about the stepping
in to an unknown situation.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, totally. I mean I'm all for it, and I
think we're all sick and tired of seeing just low
lives walk past with trolley's full of groceries out the
door and into the boot of the car. But nobody
wants to die over a slab of beer.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
No, No, I totally agree. We're very very much for
the changes. I think the laws are outdated, they need
to be clarified. There needs to be very clear definition
as to what people can do and what their own
powers are. But we would certainly be pushing for additional
powers around security staff. So smuch a security staff and
(06:19):
they need to be linked to that training aspect of
it to ensure safety for everybody around it. So Tony
support where this is heading. What the exact announcement is.
We don't know ourselves yet, so I think it's to
be a little bit careful in this speculation.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
But where would I be with that speculation? Gary, Honestly,
I'm on Twitter, trick. I just have a bouquet for
you too. A text has written in. I found all
the guards at Electric Avenue over the weekend to be
of very high caliber. It was extremely well done. There
(06:59):
was always one in sight where the other could cover
their mate. Coming from a thirteen year military background, as
very Priest says.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Richie, and I have to say the majority of companies
providing events security do an exceptional job in quite challenging
the circumstances. I know through your history with US Kerry,
you are a little bit aware of some of the
fantastic work we do. We have a Save the Life
Metal Award program that every year recognizes probably around fifteen
to twenty people who through in their roles, directly lead
(07:30):
to saving a life, and unfortunately that doesn't get seen
by the general public. What we do here is about
the one security officer who tries to extort money from
a person, etc. And that should never happen, unfortunately the people,
and occasionally it does, but there is a fantastic amount
of really good work being done that largely goes unseen
(07:51):
and effectively, we are there as a backup for the police.
We don't pretend to be the police. We don't have
the same powers, we don't go through the same training,
but we provide a very very important function on areas
where police we no longer have the resource to step
in and provide a lot of those functions.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, you really do it. Not being privileged to see
those awards, Gary, Thank you, Gary Morrison, CEO of New
Zealand Security Association.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Mornings podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be joining me now is Gary Morrison, the CEO
of the New Zealand Security Association. A very good morning
to you, Gary.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Yeah, morning Kerry.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
The last time we spoke, when we were talking about
pitch Invaders, you talked about the Select Committee and the
Ministerial Advisory Group. Sorry, the Ministerial Advisory Group making submissions
are regarding the powers of citizens and security guards. Are
you happy thus far with the recommendations?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Look, I have distress. We don't know what the recommendations
are yet, and this is a lot of speculation and
we haven't actually heard what's been announced, so I do
have to qualify that we are speculating what may be
in there. Well, I concernly give a security perspective to
this discussion and some general concerns about the need for
safety and consideration around it.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Sure the Herald has speculated in minute detail as to
what the recommendations might be, but you're right, they're not
officially announced until two o'clock this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Correct, And I think we just need to be a
little bit careful. There's reference to cisms arrest there's talk
about powers for everybody, and they may be qualified a
little bit further in that announcement, we don't know, but
certainly from a security industry perspective, we've advocated for additional
power specific for security staff. And it is a high
(01:36):
risk environment when you start to talk about looking to
apprehend or detain offenders, and there is a lady just
before talking about lives et cetera, very very prevent we
talk about you need to be competent and confident to
have the ability to step into that type of situation.
And what we've advocated for is any security staff who
(01:58):
would be exercising those powers would go through a very
in depth five day training programs looking at prevention. So
how do you actually stop the offender coming in in
the first place, keep them out of the store, or
make the area where they're being watched. So the initial
stage is that deterrent effect on it. If you do
(02:19):
need to actually get involved, safety is critical. You need
to be aware of the environment, are there other people around,
et cetera, And you would only do it where it's
safe to do so that you would look to detain
that offender, and it's important there's police backup available. It's
important there's a secure area or safe area where that
defender could be taken to. So there's lots of considerations
(02:42):
around this, but if it's general public, we would be
counseling you have to be very careful around it and
know your own capability. Be aware. Is that offender carrying
a knife? And again I talked about the training. Part
of that is looking for maybe is there likely to
be weapons that can be used either being carried or nearby,
(03:03):
Are there other offenders nearby, etc. That situation awareness is very,
very critical to the whole situation.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, because the last thing you want is one of
your men and women not going back home to their
families because somebody is stealing a slab of beer.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Exactly right. And we don't advocate that this would be
a role for all security staff. Yeah, we would suggest
it's for those who have the right aptitude, the right abilities,
and things like fitness come into this. If you are
going to take on offender, there is a chance they
will get aggressive and you need to be able to
handle that situation and at the right time determine let
(03:43):
them go, let them walk away. Its safety becomes quite
critical around it, so it's not for all security staff.
It is for those who've got the right skills, have
gone through the training and know how to handle themselves
in that situation.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
The other thing is, I really do think the supermarkets
need to invest more in technology, not just facial recognition,
but the actual stuff that makes it not worth an
offenders while to take goods out of the supermarket. I
mean that's there are no bank robberies really anymore because
it's not worth their while. The cash isn't there. The
(04:18):
layout of the banks has changed, it's become not worth
any rob as well to rob a bank, and it
has to be like that for supermarkets totally.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Gree carry and giving powers to staff is it's part
of the solution, but it's not the solution. It's own right.
Technology has a role to play and one of the
things I didn't mention before. You know, again, with security staff,
normally they'd have stab resistant vests, so there's a degree
of safety through that. It's not full proof, that's for sure,
(04:50):
but it is something the normal public doesn't carry. Saying
with body cameras, we're not advocating advocating at all for
the use of weapons. We think that would inflame or
significantly impact onto the risk involved. But having a appropriate
training and the capability to handle that type of situation
is quite critical.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Would it be helpful for citizens to come to the
aid of security staff or would they be best left
to deal with a situation on their own?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Again, I go back as confident and competent. If you
have the knowledge of what you can do, you know
how to defend yourself, you understand reasonable force, and you've
got the ability to get involved and you can see
it safe to do so by all means. But the
public has to be very very careful about the stepping
in to an unknown situation.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, totally. I mean I'm all for it, and I
think we're all sick and tired of seeing just low
lives walk past with trolley's full of groceries out the
door and into the boot of the car. But nobody
wants to die over a slab of beer.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
No, No, I totally agree. We're very very much for
the changes. I think the laws are outdated, they need
to be clarified. There needs to be very clear definition
as to what people can do and what their own
powers are. But we would certainly be pushing for additional
powers around security staff. So smuch a security staff and
(06:19):
they need to be linked to that training aspect of
it to ensure safety for everybody around it. So Tony
support where this is heading. What the exact announcement is.
We don't know ourselves yet, so I think it's to
be a little bit careful in this speculation.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
But where would I be with that speculation? Gary, Honestly,
I'm on Twitter, trick. I just have a bouquet for
you too. A text has written in. I found all
the guards at Electric Avenue over the weekend to be
of very high caliber. It was extremely well done. There
(06:59):
was always one in sight where the other could cover
their mate. Coming from a thirteen year military background, as
very Priest says.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Richie, and I have to say the majority of companies
providing events security do an exceptional job in quite challenging
the circumstances. I know through your history with US Kerry,
you are a little bit aware of some of the
fantastic work we do. We have a Save the Life
Metal Award program that every year recognizes probably around fifteen
to twenty people who through in their roles, directly lead
(07:30):
to saving a life, and unfortunately that doesn't get seen
by the general public. What we do here is about
the one security officer who tries to extort money from
a person, etc. And that should never happen, unfortunately the people,
and occasionally it does, but there is a fantastic amount
of really good work being done that largely goes unseen
(07:51):
and effectively, we are there as a backup for the police.
We don't pretend to be the police. We don't have
the same powers, we don't go through the same training,
but we provide a very very important function on areas
where police we no longer have the resource to step
in and provide a lot of those functions.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, you really do it. Not being privileged to see
those awards, Gary, Thank you, Gary Morrison, CEO of New
Zealand Security Association.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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