Christchurch 111 Incidents Were Responded To
An initial analysis by Police of the events in July 2004 by Mr Ron Mark, MP has shown that the events were responded to
in a timely fashion and offenders were apprehended.
Commissioner, Rob Robinson, said that following receipt of copies of emails from Mr Mark this morning staff in the
Communications Centre had identified the two events and undertaken an initial analysis of their handling.
"At 11.59 am on 4 July 2004 a 111 call was made to the Southern Communication Centre relating to a domestic incident in
the Papanui area. A car was tasked with responding to the Priority One event within four minutes of the call coming in.
"At 12.05 a call was made to the Southern Communication Centre relating to an assault in Sydenham. Another car was
despatched in response to that Priority One incident within two minutes of the call being received.
"In both these incidents offenders were apprehended. The cars that responded to the incidents were Inquiry cars.
"Further work is required regarding the exact interactions involving the communications centre and the field staff,
including to what extent the communications centres called on traffic units. Several Strategic Traffic Units were
working normal proactive traffic duties in the wider Canterbury area.
"This work will be by way of a formal review by Superintendent Steve Hinds of my office. The matters will also be
reported to the Police Complaints Authority.
Mr Robinson said that analysis of the issue showed that regardless of the details an appropriate level of policing
service was provided and therefore inferences that a child abduction case was left unattended were untrue.
"On the other hand the publicity given to these incidents is a timely reminder to frontline staff that units with call
signs must ensure they log on and remain logged on for the full period of their duty.
"I have today reminded all staff of the current policy whereby the nearest available unit is expected to respond to
Priority One events involving threats to lives and property, subject to standard protocols regarding back-up and
support."
The Commissioner said that commentary that tried to pit road policing against general duties policing was unfortunate
and unhelpful.
"Each branch of policing makes a unique contribution to the safety of communities and individuals. Death and injury on
the roads is certainly high up on the list of fear of crime by both men and women and top of the list for the total
population. I believe that our current policies which demand frontline response from all branches while maintaining a
strategic focus to crime and crash reduction is the right one. The results of recent years bear this out," said Mr
Robinson.