Appendix: Our suggestions for the New Zealand Police
It is important that the Police are vigilant about identifying and managing matters that could impede the rate of progress towards an improved workplace culture that reflects the spirit and intent of the recommendations of the 2007 Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct. These potential barriers could be present now or might still emerge. The Police also need to keep improving how they investigate adult sexual assaults and how they deal with victims.
The suggestions that follow reflect our observations during our audit. We have discussed some of these in greater detail in this report, and we consider others useful for the Police to consider. The list is not exhaustive, and we have not intended any particular prioritisation.
Investigating adult sexual assaults and dealing with victims
To improve how the Police investigate adult sexual assaults and deal with victims, we suggest that the Police:
- continue to monitor training for staff who investigate allegations of sexual assault and prepare appropriate training for staff who might have first contact with a victim of a sexual assault (including greater clarity about who is responsible for recording this contact and the relevant details, as in the ASAI policy);
- consider ways to collate and analyse feedback from adult sexual assault victims in regular recording of cases, to better understand their experience of the Police;
- carry out the already-planned survey of adult sexual assault victims to better understand their experience of the Police;
- consider how to further improve communication with sexual assault victims;
- provide refresher training for staff on case management; and
- better use the available data on their performance in responding to adult sexual assaults to consider trends and identify risks and gaps, including resourcing issues.
Improving police staff behaviour
To help improve managing and improving police staff behaviour, we suggest that the Police:
- continue and expand on ways to increase staff awareness and understanding of Early Intervention;
- consider how to make staff aware that appropriate action has been taken in response to behaviour that falls short of the Police's expectations; and
- provide training in districts for supervisors at a sergeant and senior sergeant level to improve performance management and awareness of modelling values and standards.
Supporting women and staff from diverse backgrounds
To help support women and staff from diverse backgrounds in the Police staff, we suggest that the Police:
- improve understanding and consistent use of the Flexible Employment Opportunity; and
- consider how to support professional development for staff who are not officers.
Assurance Group suggestions
We endorse suggestions made by the Police's Assurance Group to:
- improve the use and quality of monitoring tools, including considering how to better use quantitative performance information to help target improvement activities;
- carry out a national review of the availability of specialist support services compared with what is recorded in the agreements for those services; and
- introduce a national stocktake of sensitive interview facilities, examining the availability and standard of those facilities.