Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, July 1, 2024
A recent survey has revealed that New Zealanders continue to hold a strong trust and confidence in their Police Force, even amid growing concerns about safety due to high-profile crime trends.
The 2022-2023 results from the Police Module of the Ministry of Justice’s annual New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS) indicate that 67% of New Zealanders have high trust in the Police, and 83% believe the Police act professionally.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster welcomed these findings, attributing the positive public perception to the diligent efforts of Police staff in maintaining public safety.
Survey Insights and Crime Reporting
The survey, which covered the period from November 2022 to October 2023, provides valuable insights into public perceptions and experiences with crime, whether or not these incidents were reported to the Police. Commissioner Coster emphasised the significance of these perceptions, stating that the primary goal of the Police is to ensure that people feel safe and secure.
The survey highlighted improvements in crime reporting, particularly in areas such as interpersonal violence, an area where the Police have focused considerable efforts. Simplifying the reporting process has led to a clearer understanding of crime trends within communities, allowing the Police to deploy resources more effectively.
“Preventing crime and harm in our communities and responding to emergencies will always be our priority,” Commissioner Coster said. “Our purpose as an organisation is to ensure people are safe and feel safe, so the perceptions about how people see and feel about crime are highly relevant.”
Youth Crime and Public Safety
Despite the overall stability in crime levels over the past six years, high-profile crime trends, such as serious youth crime and gang intimidation, have heightened public concerns about safety.
Commissioner Coster acknowledged the significant public attention these crimes attract and their impact on public feelings of safety. He noted that while ram raids have begun to decrease, there has been a shift towards aggravated robberies targeting petrol stations and other stores, indicating that offenders are adapting their tactics in response to enforcement pressures.
“Fear of crime has risen internationally in the last few years, and we know that sentiment has been similar here in New Zealand,” Commissioner Coster said.
“At the moment, we believe this is driven by public concerns around high-profile crime trends such as serious and persistent youth crime and gang intimidation in public places.”
He pointed out that these types of crimes, although attracting significant media attention, are driven by a small cohort of serious and prolific youth offenders. The Police continue to work with other agencies to address the underlying causes behind this offending, emphasising the importance of a multi-faceted approach to crime prevention.
Enhanced Police Measures
In response to these evolving crime trends, the Police have announced additional resources, including the establishment of Gang Disruption Units and the expansion of Community Beat Teams. These measures aim to enhance Police visibility and availability, particularly in areas most affected by crime. Commissioner Coster noted that commercial crimes like ram raids, although not captured in NZCVS statistics, significantly influence public perceptions of safety.
“These crime spikes are being driven by a small cohort of serious and prolific youth offenders,” Commissioner Coster explained. “Police continue to work with other agencies to address the underlying causes behind this offending.”
The Police are also focusing on increasing the use of immobilisers and steering wheel locks to combat the rise in car thefts, which have increased over the past two years. They are collaborating with insurance companies and promoting public awareness to prevent such crimes.
Additionally, the Police are tackling fraud, often linked to organised crime, by working with banks and international institutions to resolve and prevent these offenses.
“Fraud remains a concern to New Zealanders, and most continue to look to their banks to resolve the immediate issue for them,” Commissioner Coster said. “For our part, Police continues to work with banks and international institutions to tackle the organised crime that so often sits behind these scams.”
Community Engagement and Public Perception
Commissioner Coster highlighted the importance of community engagement and public perception in effective policing. He emphasised that the trust and confidence of the public are fundamentally important to how the Police operate in New Zealand. The survey results indicate that the vast majority of New Zealanders have a positive view of the Police and the services they provide.
“The trust and confidence of the public remain fundamentally important to how we Police in New Zealand,” Commissioner Coster said. “Without their broad support, our job of keeping communities safe is much harder.”
The survey shows that most New Zealanders believe the Police are focused on the most harmful crimes (73%), deal effectively with serious crimes (71%), are responsive to the needs of their communities (67%), and have a good presence in their community (59%). Additionally, 73% of respondents find the Police easy to contact via 105, 73% believe the Police provide good service, and 81% feel confident that the Police will be there in a significant emergency. Most importantly, 83% of the public believe the Police will treat them professionally.
Commissioner Coster commended the Police staff for their daily efforts in keeping communities safe, emphasising the importance of maintaining high trust and confidence among the public.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
