Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, March 29, 2023
Police are beginning the nationwide roll-out of its highly successful Tactical Response Model (TRM).
TRM is a safety system designed to ensure the frontline is trained, equipped, and supported to keep themselves and communities safer.
It was created as part of the Frontline Safety Improvement Programme following the death of Constable Matthew Hunt during a traffic stop in Massey in June 2020.
In September 2021, Police announced the Tactical Response Model (TRM) as a safety system that ensures Police are trained, equipped, and supported to keep ourselves and our communities safe.
Late last year Cabinet agreed to release funding for the implementation of the model nationally.
In developing the TRM Police engaged with Māori, Pacific, Ethnic and other community leaders through 570 community engagement sessions including Police’s External Reference Groups at local and national levels.
Police held around 85 workshops with more than 1250 staff about their experiences and ideas to improve staff safety. Proactive engagement with staff continued through Proof-of-Concept trials and a formal evaluation of the model including two staff safety surveys which attracted more than 2000 responses each.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said a successful trial as well as ongoing engagement with frontline officers, partner agencies and community leaders has given Police the confidence to proceed with a national rollout.
“The model has been trialled in Northland, Counties Manukau, Waikato and Central Districts for the past year,” Commissioner Coster said.
“An evaluation of the trial shows TRM works. Trial districts experienced fewer assaults against and injuries to frontline staff, fewer incidents requiring the use of force and fewer complaints about the use of tactical options. The policing the public will see under TRM will be the same as they see now, but those causing the most harm in our communities will feel the difference.”
He also assured the communities that the Police remain an unarmed service.
“The rollout includes enhanced tactical capability with Offender Prevention Teams and two-person Tactical Dog Teams coming on board in each district, ongoing tactical training for the frontline, and risk-based intelligence-led deployment.”
The model will be implemented from March 2023, as each district reaches the level of required readiness.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
