Drive time

Last month, it was head gear, this month it’s Top Gear… The amount of debate and speculation being generated about the demise of Holden has been interesting.

Everyone has their own idea about what make and model should replace the well-travelled marque for the Police fleet. Some have suggested electric vehicles. With the future of fossil-fuel motoring looking uncertain, perhaps it is time for a bit of Kiwi initiative to be shown. Police could be encouraged to go for something more environmentally friendly – as long as it goes like a bat out of hell when you put your foot down.

Personally, I’ve never been one to form a strong emotional attachment to a car brand, but maybe that’s just because I haven’t met the right one yet – perhaps a European model?

Officer Ella

I see from communications via the Castle that we have a new recruit – Ella, the AI officer, who greets visitors to PNHQ through a video screen. She seems nice enough – and she’s probably got more brains than some of the people we deal with – but I worry about what’s going on in her head. Apparently, she was designed as a mix of 26 different people. If she goes rogue, as these AI creations are wont to do according to the sci-fi movies I’ve seen, whose side will she be on?

She might come in handy in the i-car, though, when I’m looking for an explanation for one of my not-so-clever decisions. I wonder if “Ella did it” would cut any ice with the IPCA?

Ganging up

We said it was going to happen and it has… gangs are getting stronger on the back of the arrival of the 501 deportees from Australia, and the public has finally started taking notice, but only because gang brawls are spilling onto suburban streets.

That’s when the public and MPs start demanding to know who’s going to clean up this problem, and what are police doing about it. Throw in an election year, when the “get tough on crime” mantra will get trotted out, and we can be sure police will be in the spotlight.

We know the effective work that police do behind the scenes – regular massive drug busts are proof of that – but a lot of it is covert, and that’s the way it has to stay. The extra 700 staff being funnelled into organised crime have got their work cut out for them. Thanks, Australia.

Sergeants’ training

I hear that the sergeants’ courses at the college might be scrapped, with training moving online. It’s the modern way, but it means they’ll miss out on face-to-face training and on hearing the latest trends from the city-slickers. One of the benefits of being a national police force is that, from time to time, we can get together with colleagues from around the country.

I confess that I did take to YouTube recently to figure out how to fix the broken cord on my chainsaw, so maybe I can see the merit in “online learning”.

Stay safe out there...

Constable Iam Keen

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