Police employees say they have been anxious, fearful and angry since Commissioner Andrew Coster announced via vlog at the same time Budget 2024 was being delivered that about 175 “corporate support” roles are going to be cut.

Police was asked to save $55 million over the next four years. Meanwhile, the frontline was boosted by $226.1 million in May’s Budget for 500 extra officers and the equipment they will need.

Police News has spoken to several Police Association members who say the vacuum left by any meaningful communication from Police since Coster’s announcement has been filled with rumours about who is and who isn’t going. The status of a further 200 existing Police employee vacancies is also contributing to the concerns of staff.

The vagueness of Police internal communications about what is happening with the Financial Sustainability Programme (FSP) Workforce Project – the process that is being used to decide where the reduction in numbers will come from – has fuelled insecurity and distress.

Police says it will reveal its proposal this month and the document will be put out for three weeks of consultation. A final decision should come about four weeks later.

“It has been incredibly anxiety-inducing and stressful waiting for weeks to find out where the axe is going to fall,” one association member, who asked to remain anonymous due to fears speaking out could be “career limiting”, said.

"We get the feeling the FSP is making it up as it goes along. It is a really shit time." - Police Association member

“We think this will be a scattergun headcount-reduction exercise made in a silo by people who don’t understand the work people do, who they do it for, and who also won’t personally be affected by the outcome of the ‘realignment’ exercise.

“We get the feeling the FSP is making it up as it goes along. It is a really shit time.”

Police employee representative on the Police Association’s board of directors Susan Roberts, whose day job is Police Prosecution Service’s strategy, risk and business adviser, agrees.

“While ‘corporate support’ is the focus for the Government, staff have been frustrated by the lack of definition. There’s no clarity about what is in or out for the purpose of the FSP design. All staff know through Police is that 111 [Emergency Communications Centres] is off the hook.

“Because there is nothing on paper, it has led to significant uncertainty and mental load on staff who are assuming the worst until they are confronted with the reality of the consultation document, and ultimately the decision document,” Susan says. 

Who, why and how

Police has been actively engaging with the Police Association throughout the development phase of the Workforce Project along with representatives of the Police Leaders’ Guild and the Public Service Association.

The union group, which includes association senior employment adviser Leeann Peden and Susan, meets weekly with the Workforce Project team charged with “using a fine-tooth comb” to identify where and what vacancies Police has, what roles are in scope – an assurance was given to Police Minister Mark Mitchell that roles critical to the frontline are off the table – and which roles can be disestablished.

“Our task is to represent our Police employee members by ensuring we hold Police to account, challenge Police’s thinking and ask the tough questions on behalf of members while also mitigating as much as possible the impact of the proposed job cuts,” says Leeann of her and Susan’s role.

Leeann says Police has had to justify why particular roles are being cut, explain what happens to that work and give a good reason if there are any areas where there are no job losses.

They have repeatedly asked Police to provide some certainty on what work groups are in scope and those that are safe, without success. However, Police has agreed it will not fill any non-businesscritical vacancies during the process. While Police has not defined what it considers a business-critical role, the association has told Police it will be looking very closely at the justification for a current vacancy being filled.

“My advice to Police through this process has been to get it right, even if it takes longer,” says Leeann. “It will have significant impacts on people’s lives, hopes, dreams, aspirations, mortgages, families, communities and businesses. It will also impact the people left behind.”

Susan says it’s an interesting process.

“I wouldn’t pretend that we are a persuasive voice but we are certainly a loud voice, ensuring association members are front and centre of Police’s thinking about how to do this. We are at the table but Police own it. We don’t get to control it but we can influence how it might land.”

Leading from the top

Leeann says she and Susan have stressed that the job losses cannot just affect nonexecutive staff. “The executive must show that the pain is being shared from the top down.”

Susan wholeheartedly agrees: “Frequent commentary I hear from staff is about the perceived growth in the size of the executive over time and how it is making a mockery of the role of ‘deputy commissioner’ in the true definition. There were just the two in the deputy role when I began working in the organisation 19 years ago. Now there are six.

“The size of the executive will account for a significant amount of the increased costs of Police – rather than a 40% growth in Police employees – due to the additional layers of support and assistant commissioner-level roles that sit underneath those deputies. Obviously, cost savings there are greater than they will be at the lower levels of the organisation.

“If the consultation document doesn’t reflect some changes there, it will be very hard for staff to believe that it’s actually being done in good faith,” Susan says. “People are looking for honesty, that Police is reflecting its own values… that they’re looking under every rock.”

Leeann stresses that it’s wrong to think only Police National Headquarters will bear the brunt of the cuts. It’s going to have a flow-on effect throughout the business. She also warns, given the extent of the cuts, that while police officers cannot be made redundant, anyone in a “blue shirt” who is in a corporate support role could be affected and face being redeployed.

Wellness is key

Susan is hoping Police will assess other options during the FSP process, such as permanent or flexible reduced hours.

“They have merit to retain institutional knowledge but reduce the wage bill for the organisation. I’d like to see more of that explored as a solution.”

However, she is realistic about the post-FSP state: “I think, if they don’t achieve the $55 million in savings with the first consultation process and voluntary redundancies… they’re just going to have another bite of it and keep going.

“We will have to ensure that where functions or roles are to be lost that the members who remain aren’t overloaded with what is absorbed into their job description.

“Wellness is key. Change is hard and it’s worse when it’s within a context of uncertainty. I’d implore members to look after themselves and their colleagues and to reach out for support through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and the tools the organisation is developing.”

It is understood that EAP has been swamped because of the public service cuts across the board. One association member says it’s “very hard to get into”. It could be some time before EAP can meet the demand, says Susan. She believes there is bound to be further change after this round of job cuts.

“No organisation is static. We’ve got the new commissioner to come as well. So there’s bound to be other thinking that will happen as a result of the new person at the head.”

Savings breakdown (in millions)

Ensure you have your say

One positive, Leeann and Susan say, is that the option of voluntary redundancy is on the table, meaning members can decide their future on their own terms. It will run parallel to consultation on the Workforce Project’s proposal.

“I hope it enables some people to exit with dignity, if that is what they want, and their role is not business critical for Police,” says Susan. “If they do, we need to ensure they are recognised for the work they’ve done and realise that some will be enabling other positions to be saved for other Police employees.”

With consultation due to start any time, Leeann and Susan suggest as many members as possible take the opportunity to give constructive feedback to Police [email fsp@police. govt.nz] and through the consultation feedback process.

“Talk as a team if you don’t want to do it as an individual,” Susan says. “I know there’s nervousness sometimes about putting your name to some things, even though they say it’s confidential. But don’t underestimate the value of your experience and suggest fresh ideas as well.

“Just because the executive’s coming up with ideas, that doesn’t mean they see an organisation from the grassroots.

“This is our opportunity as workers to say, ‘That’s actually not how it works and that’s not what the true impact will be’, and we need to stress the importance of ‘back office’, ‘corporate support’ and ‘engine room’ work to the frontline. If there is a link to the frontline and the work has to be done, it will take staff off the frontline to do it. That won’t be what the Government thinks it’s buying with the extra 500.”

Time will tell – soon, it is hoped.