Two Questions

[Murray]

Murray, I've been "rushed" by nasty belligerent dogs and some of their owners, outside of their own patch where they are in fact fair game for anyone with sufficient wits and weapons to dispatch them fairly and squarely if they so

fel the need to do so, with the full consent of the law. Something I have actually had to do, to protect the little kid who was about to become breakfast.
A female judge who's only contact with today's less desireables is probably being chauffeured through Otara, is not qualified to comment or asses the "rushing" of a big snarling about to attack dog, not on it's own patch.That my friend is my considered opinion and you do know I am qualified to comment.
So, my original observation stands.
We most certainly have NOT had both sides of this story relayed to us in anything like a fair or unbiased manner and this is true of most of the situations that we read about in the papers or see /hear about on radio or TV.
Reporting news, was once a skill, allowing readers,listeners to make up their own minds based on what was put before them by the reporters, who's JOB relied on them doing it with professional and ethical correctness in order not to influence unduly their own assessment.

so why did the police apologise??

[caseye]

You'd rather they didn't.
They are not allowed to win these days, it's either us ordinary citizens baying for their blood when they make a balls up or its the crims suing their arse off when there isn't a leg to stand on , but hey who cares, bash em anyway.
You,me, we need to get our priorities sorted.
Do we want police people who are allowed to think and act in the best interests of most of the citizens or do we actually want them to sit on their hands while people die in case they don't get it right the first time?
Have you seen the reports of "youths marauding" in Britomart station last night?
I'd say, go in there beat the living daylights outa them, take em home to their parents and arrest them for criminal negligence and allowing law abiding citizens to get hurt.
But Oh NO, instead we get, the station was cordoned off, thousands could not catch a train home.
For what?
In case we hurt one of them too much and got a law suit filed.
Get used to it, this is the way of the future as long as we don't back our boys and girls who do it for the love of their fellow man/woman.

[Swoop]

Murray, I've been "rushed" by nasty belligerent dogs...

A mate just pulls out the pepper spray and nukes the fuck out of the mongrel. Apparently you "need to save a bit, in case the owner requires a bit too"!!

[mada]

To me it makes more sense to have them as one large underfunded under-resourced dept. rather than two separate underfunded under-resourced depts. with cross over of duties on the roads.

All that would happen is a massive double up but no extra funding (which would mean less resources for other areas - eg. crime). You'd need to double up on all the safety equipment with logos/branding ie. vehicles, stab proof vests, radio equipment/comms, etc. Then there is the issue of arrest powers - would they have them, and if so then they need appropriate training, safety equipment. Police are and have always been the most competent agency for making arrests in NZ, many agencies have such powers but will use Police - eg. Customs at the Airport - because staff don't have the appropriate training/resources etc.

Nowadays with the way crime/people are and the tendency for more and more people to say fuck it and drive off or assault cops, let alone officers of other law enforcement agencies - a standalone traffic cop agency would be useless. The risk to traffic cops would end up being too high, as they would have no intel/access to NIA for criminal history checks, people would be more likely to attack or disobey if they knew Traffic cops were powerless and or not cops, even if they did have access to NIA then you would have a whole new kettle of fish in terms of another organisation now requiring security checks to weed out those working as clean skins. You'd end up with lots of calls to the cops to attend traffic stops and drive offs - and with the Police having less officers - in particular less dedicated to the roads, it'd be a total nightmare. From what I've heard the road cops are also a very useful and valuable tool when it comes to collecting on the ground intel which leads to real crime prevention ie drug busts, robberies, burgs etc.

Traffic policing is one area where Police can actually have some effect and PREVENT crime, rather than try and pick up the pieces afterwards. Let 'em keep it I say.

[FJRider]

.... Traffic policing is one area where Police can actually have some effect and PREVENT crime, rather than try and pick up the pieces afterwards. Let 'em keep it I say.

Probably the first of all Police to "find" stolen vehicles on the road ... and with powers to arrest/detain if necessary. MOT had to CALL the Police ...