A world-leading research project into police systemic bias, Understanding Policing Delivery (UPD), has released the first suite of seven reports in the three-year programme, writes Nicholas Dynon.
The research has seen New Zealand Police, an Independent Panel, a team of external researchers and a 30-strong Operational Advisory Group of frontline officers work collaboratively to better understand fairness and equity as part of policing in New Zealand.
The first seven reports published on 21 August as part of Phase One used existing information analysed through the lens of ‘fairness and equity’.
Researchers looked at who Police stop, how they engage with them, and decision-making processes on using force and prosecution.
The Independent Panel’s report has made 40 recommendations, some of which Police are already progressing, and some of which will be further informed by Phase Two recommendations due for release later this year, which will draw on additional data and take a closer look at how communities and Police interact daily across a range of services.
“Ultimately, this is about meaningful system change through learning opportunities both in training and on the job,” said Independent Panel Chairperson, Professor Khylee Quince. “Our recommendations cover the gamut from Police training, operations to service delivery,”
Panel recommendations include creating a ‘systems review’ learning approach to shine light on good practice, innovation and positive outcomes.
Importance of trust
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster commissioned the Understanding Policing Delivery programme in 2020 at a pivotal time as Police jurisdictions around the world came under close public scrutiny following the George Floyd killing, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, and, in New Zealand, the Waitangi Tribunal Justice System Inquiry and Abuse in Care Inquiry.
The Commissioner invited Tā Kim Workman to Chair an Independent Panel, mandated to monitor Police data and systems and to provide advice back to Police.
“The legitimacy of policing has been questioned by people in many countries, including New Zealand, so this project is a fundamental contribution to the future approach of policing,” said Professor Quince said. “It was created to serve the needs of all our communities.”
Evidence confirmed that how Police officers conduct themselves has an influence on public trust and confidence in the Police – either to strengthen trust or to weaken it.
“If policing is not delivered in a fair and equitable way to all citizens, no matter their ethnicity, disability, sexuality or other characteristics, it requires us to investigate the root causes and make recommendations for meaningful, systemic change,” Professor Quince said.
The Panel worked in partnership with the Police while guiding and commissioning the research according to kaupapa Māori methodology.
The study examined recruitment and training practices, data collection methods, and the contents of the Police operations manual. The approach was supported by the Police Association and the Police Officers Guild.
“Police come to work every day to make a difference to the safety of all our communities and this work helps to ensure our systems and processes are set up to support them to do just that,” said Commissioner Coster.
“We know that community trust in Police is fundamentally important to our ability to do our jobs. Having that trust encourages more people to report crime, more to provide evidence, and more to support prevention.
“That’s especially important for those communities currently on the wrong end of most justice sector statistics from victims to offenders, and from use of force to prosecution.”
Areas for improvement
The Commissioner acknowledged that the research highlighted a number of areas where there are opportunities for improvements to Police systems.
Findings indicated a number of unsatisfactory and inequitable experiences of Police by Māori, including high levels of TASER deployment, complaints about use of force and warrantless searches. Māori voiced dissatisfaction about the impact police interactions in their homes had on children, feeling unsafe with Police and frustration at inappropriate Police responses to family harm incidents.
“We welcome this level of scrutiny and expectation as an important part of Police being accountable to the community, and ensuring we retain and build trust from the community,” he said.
“Everyone finds dealing with issues of ‘fairness and equity’ difficult and policing is no different,” noted Dr Catherine Leonard, Managing Director of Ihi Research and Development, one of the appointed researchers.
“The Police and the Operational Advisory Group have been consistently open to learning, willing to engage in challenging conversations about equity and exploring Police practices. This is the first step in addressing longstanding issues identified in Police/community partnerships,.”
According to the Chair of the Independent Panel, taking on learnings and delivering on the interim recommendations to build trust with Māori and communities is the next step for Police.
“These problems are well documented and understood already, however Police have been brave enough to ask the question – what more can they do to make sure their actions and decisions don’t exacerbate the outcomes further for those individuals who are often at the lowest points in their lives?
“We wish to mihi the courage shown to date by the Police,” Professor Quince said.
Recommendations being actioned
The programme specifically focused on Police systems, not individual officer behaviour and was sense-checked by officers against the realities of day-to-day policing, and there are early signs of that the UPD is working operationally.
“We are encouraged that Police have already committed to progressing eight of the 40 recommendations over the next six months,” stated the report’s executive summary.
“The relational model that we have developed with Police, and the inclusion of police officers and employees in the research process means that some of the insights have already been contributing to organisational learning and improvements towards fairer policing, outside of the formal recommendations.”
“There is no point making recommendations if they’re not received, owned and actioned using an appropriate implementation and monitoring mechanism, which includes independent community oversight,” said Professor Quince. “The outcome of the entire process has proven the high value of taking a relational approach anchored in whakawhaungatanga. This has turned into being an essential part of the solution.”
