Crime? What crime?
Saturday, July 24, 2010 • Christine McCafferty
GISBORNE police have decided to restrict the information on crime they provide to media in a move to “make the community feel safer”.
Up until now, The Gisborne Herald has been given detailed reports of crimes attended by police, including burglaries, domestic violence and the arrests that make up our daily “Police briefs”.
But earlier this week area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama said comprehensive information would no longer be provided. He saw no benefit in “reporting all and sundry”.
The decision coincides with the appointment of new station supervisor Detective Sergeant Mick Lander, who introduced a similar policy in Rotorua where he has moved here from.
Their media release yesterday said this was a bid to “streamline information” from police in favour of a more “comprehensive approach” to inform the community of their activities.
“Our daily feed of information to the media does not provide the right recipe for the community in terms of important information they need to know. A lot of that has to do with how the public views the city or community they live in,” Mr Aberhama said.
“Research has shown that the public’s perception of their community is influenced largely by what they read in the media. In the majority of cases, the detailed reporting of incidents does not provide a clear and accurate picture of what is actually going on in a community.”
Only a small percentage of the population were directly affected by crime but that view could be “skewed” by detailed media reports that gave the impression crime was rampant throughout a city.
Instead of providing lists of every incident reported to police, it was far more practical to provide an overview of any specific crime problem that was occurring in the city or a suburb, Mr Aberahama said.
“This bid to ‘streamline’ information going out to the community sounds like it has come straight out of a Communist handbook,” said Gisborne Herald editor Jeremy Muir.
While he agreed making the community “feel safe” was a big part of policing, Mr Muir said actually making it safer was far more important.
“We strongly believe that our careful reporting on crime straight after it happens helps our community know what is going on and allows people to play a role in solving crimes.”
Mr Muir asks Gisborne police to provide the research they say backs up this major policy change.
“The only study they have cited to us is a Rotorua council survey that says very little about the effect of crime reporting on public perceptions. ‘Media profile of crime’ is bunched in with eight reasons in the ‘other’ category.
“We have a long history of trust with the Gisborne police. We respect their wishes when they ask for some things not to be reported for various reasons.
“Instead of being asked to recalibrate this relationship, we have been presented with a fait accompli that sounds a lot like they want us to be a propaganda mouthpiece.
“We are sure this policy change will go down badly in the community. We have a small-enough population in Gisborne and on the Coast that people know each other and really care about those around them.
“They are used to knowing what is going on and we believe they will see this new policy as patronising. It will also cut off avenues for solving crime.”
District commander Sam Hoyle was not available for comment and Police National Headquarters did not respond on whether the changes here would become national policy.
Police Minister Judith Collins also failed to respond, despite numerous messages left with her press secretary yesterday and this morning.
New Zealand Police this month introduced a monthly reporting system, designed to give a “snapshot” of police activity.
Currently, official crime statistics are published every six months, and a summary of police activities is published in an annual report.
The monthly indicators would complement the reporting systems, providing a “snapshot” of crime and preventive activities by police, Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls said.
“Reporting statistical indicators monthly will allow us to more regularly provide information on topical crimes,” he said.
Mr Aberahama said police were not trying to withhold information or “paint a prettier picture”.
