NZ Police has acknowledged the release of a comprehensive report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) which examined the policing of public protests in New Zealand and made several significant recommendations.
Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura said Police had worked closely with the IPCA on this review, which arose from complaints to the independent body following a number of high-profile protests over recent years.
“We have seen a significant change in the protest environment, aided by social media, in which these events are becoming more publicised, highly organised and, in some instances, utilising complex tactics,” said Deputy Commissioner Kura.
“We are now often faced with these events involving protesters, counter protesters, and activists who are present for a variety of different causes.
“These changes are a global trend which is putting more pressure on police jurisdictions around the world.”
In the last two years, New Zealand Police has attended and monitored at least 140 protests across the country.
“Police is always focussed on ensuring the community has the right to protest but balancing this against upholding the law and ensuring the safety of those attending, as well as members of the public in the vicinity,” said Deputy Commissioner Kura.
“The 2022 parliamentary protest, as well as recent rallies regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, highlight some of the complex issues Police is dealing with.”
The IPCA report recommends several changes and Police has accepted and agreed with these in principle.
The most significant is the recommendation for a new stand-alone legislation which would put New Zealand in line with comparative jurisdictions such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Any legislative reform would be led by the Minister of Justice.
There are also recommendations regarding police policies, processes, and training in the public order policing area.
“Police is considering how best to respond to these, noting that our organisation has already undertaken a raft of changes following the parliamentary protests,” said Deputy Commissioner Kura.
“Our progress and work in this area has been acknowledged by the IPCA in the report. We know our officers who work in Public Order Policing teams, as well as all officers who attend to support and police these events, do an incredible job at keeping people safe in what can be a challenging and highly emotional environment.
“We know we must continually improve and adapt to the changing environment in protests and so we look forward to seeing where this review leads us,” she said.
