 | NORML News: NZ Police, Crime and Laws news round-up |
 From NORML News Winter 2004: - Police may also be drug tested - it's about time!
- Police bag bugger-all
- Clean Slate Act
- Criminal Proceedings Bill changes basic principles of justice
Police may also be drug tested - it's about time!Police may soon be tested for drink and drugs. Random testing is being considered as part of a probe into alcohol and drug use within the police force.
The probe was an expansion of a review into police bars, which began about 18 months ago after police bosses became concerned over the number of high-profile incidents involving alcohol sold at police stations. It included a Gisborne policewoman allegedly pepper-sprayed during a party at her station in December 2002.
Police Association president Greg O'Connor, a former undercover cop who worked hard to bust pot smokers and was recently outed as a recreational toker, doubted random testing was needed because he believed there was no evidence New Zealand's police force had a drinking or drugs problem.
police bag bugger-allPolice continue to play up the miniscule catch from their annual cannabis "eradication" programme. Operation Ella, which ran nationwide for the entire six month outdoor growing season, netted only 15,000 plants and 92kg of dried plant material, literally a drop in thebucket compared to the entire cannabis crop.
Our estimates are that this catch represents no more than one week's worth of cannabis forthe New Zealand market.
Clean Slate actNORML extends our congratulations to Nandor Tanczos on the passing of the Clean Slate Bill. Well done Nandor!
People with old minor criminal convictions soon be able to sleep easier now that the Criminal Records Bill has passed, allowing offences like disorderly behaviour, trespass, and minor cannabis convictions to be concealed after seven years if there is no reoffending.
Records will not be concealed automatically, meaning people with convictions eligible for concealment must go to their local court and tell the Court Registrar to conceal them. Registrars do not have a choice and must do it if asked.
The Bill was originally conceived by Mr Tanczos but taken over by the Government and had some of its teeth removed. That Phil Goff was forced to copy Nandor is a victory for the Green approach to justice issues, ie. less punishment and more solutions.
criminal proceedings bill changes basic principles of justiceAmong other worrying reforms, such as the lifting of the double jeopardy rule in some cases, Justice Minister Phil Goff's new Criminal Proceedings Bill proposes dropping unanimous jury verdicts and replacing them with an 11 - 1 majority bottom line. Judge-only trials could also be used for what he calls "long and technical" cases.
This could be bad or good. If the change from unanimity to majority goes through, a single Trojan Horse will no longer be able to hang a jury by insisting on a not guilty verdict for a drug war victim. However, without the need for unanimity, there may be less pressure from other jurors on a single dissenting voice, who may then more comfortably register their not guilty opinion. The notion of Judge-only trials is more troubling as it will deprive some defendants altogether of their ancient right to be tried by their peers.
The bill passed its first reading with only the Greens opposing it, but there is still time to influence its contents. If you are concerned, contact the Justice Electoral Select Committee for more information and make a submission on the Bill.
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