Goon Squad To Be Revisited
New Zealand First Law and Order spokesperson Ron Mark is in disbelief over the Department of Corrections’ plans to
establish Critical Incident Response Teams in prisons similar to the failed Canterbury Emergency Response Unit (ERU)
also known as the “goon squad” whilst the State Services Commission investigation into the ERU is not yet completed.
Under questioning by Mr Mark during this mornings Law and Order Select Committee it was also revealed that prison
chiefs are not ruling out re-employing past members of the notorious "goon squad" in the new teams.
“How can the public have faith in anything remotely resembling the failed ERU? Asked Mr Mark
“I have in my possession a letter dated 3 March 2003 from the Chief Executive of Corrections, Mark Byers, to the Acting
Minister, Margaret Wilson, indicating that while the clean up of matters relating to the ERU was ‘tidy’ he further
advised her that plans to develop procedures for similar ‘Restraint teams’ were underway.
“Now we have the ludicrous situation of a new Minister attempting to re-establish the ERU under another name.
“These Response Teams are destined for failure and will leave the Minister with no one to blame but himself when this
occurs again,” concluded Mr Mark.