NCJ Number
81715
Date Published
1979
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This annual report highlights statistics and activities of the New Zealand police for the year ended March 31, 1979.
Abstract
Activities are briefly described for the following police agencies or units: National Drug Intelligence Bureau, armed offender squads, antiterrorist squad, airport police, and hostage negotiation teams. Other operations and concerns discussed include staff, changes in command, management, buildings and land, special operations, police dogs, telecommunications, search rescue, training, community relations, youth aid, and crime prevention. Of major public and police concern is the growth in the extent and intensity of gang violence, marked by the increased use of firearms and other weapons. Police shadow patrols are used for surveillance of traveling gangs, and team policing units are deployed to contain gang concentrations, especially when a confrontation between two gangs is imminent. Preventive measures include the use of police community relations coordinators to defuse potential trouble and moderate unlawful activities. Hard drug abuse has increased significantly, with 303 offenses detected compared to 24 in 1974. A total of 282,656 of all types of offenses were reported for 1979. Since this marked the first year statistics were reported from the Wanganui computer system, changed procedures do not permit statistical comparisons with previous years. For offenses against the person, the clearance rate was 79.4 percent.