Don't worry about drugs. Helium possession is what will get you busted!

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Reply # 1657746 25-Oct-2016 21:32

JimmyH:
My issue is that they are harassing (and bordering on intimidation) old people who have done nothing more than, in essence, attend a meeting where the law and various matters related to it are discussed. Which, in my view, is pretty much a political meeting rather than something more nefarious.

Well, there's a bit more to it than that.

Firstly, I have an issue with law enforcement acting in such a heavy-handed manner to suppress free speech and open political discussion.

Completely agree. The little that has been reported sounds like a terrible way to approach these issues.

I really do hope the relevant experts for New Zealand are working on this issue. The current situation is not a good one.

There is a relatively small percentage of the population who will encounter medical circumstances which necessitate the possibility of this choice being something they will contemplate, and there needs to be a solid ethical framework in place for that.

There should be no confusion between ethical euthanasia chosen in very limited circumstances, and other things for example.

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1658380 26-Oct-2016 17:28

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An item in the news confirming that the police used a breath-testing checkpoint to target elderly ladies attending an Exit International meeting and then went on to hassle said ladies with follow-up visits where they handed out anti-suicide propaganda. They then tried to justify this despicable over the top intimidation tactic with weasel words about assisting suicide being illegal and they have a responsibility to combat illegal acts bla bla.

This is a blatant attempt to serve someone's personal agenda. I would guess there are some religious types in the police hierarchy who decided to take it upon themselves to do god's work. I think it stinks and it makes the police look utterly ridiculous and contemptible. Instead of doing actual police work, like showing up promptly at burglaries as has been promised, or doing something meaningful about outlaw gangs or the escalating P scourge, they spend their time and resources pointlessly digging up marijuana patches and going after the softest of targets like old dears in their 80s. This absurd keystone kops komedy really would be laughable if it wasn't so disturbing. Whoever ordered this is even more brainless than the morons behind the Tuhoe raid. I anticipate another heartfelt 'apology' coming.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1658746 27-Oct-2016 09:19

It seems our keystone kops have turned themselves in for abuse of power.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/316593/police-check-an-'illegal-moral-crusade'

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Reply # 1658781 27-Oct-2016 10:26

I hope they get smacked down hard with an adverse disciplinary note made in the career records of the person who decided this was a good idea to prevent similar events occurring in the future.

A.

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Reply # 1658786 27-Oct-2016 10:34

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Rikkitic:

It seems our keystone kops have turned themselves in for abuse of power.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/316593/police-check-an-'illegal-moral-crusade'

I don't think it's fair to call our Police force "ketstone cops" our force is very good and much much better than most.

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Reply # 1658796 27-Oct-2016 10:54

Their behaviour in this specific instance, and some others, fully entitles them to the label. To be clear, I think most frontline police are decent and even noble people who do a thankless job well and I am grateful to them. I have no problem with them at all.

The problem is with some of those higher up the chain who are responsible for idiotic decisions like this. They must be held to account because police hold a special position in society with special powers. If these sorts of truly stupid abuses are allowed to go unchallenged, the next ones will be even worse.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1658809 27-Oct-2016 11:08

This is a very sensitive area. The stuff article makes it look like ordinary police officers were questioning (potentially) very vulnerable people about this. I really hope this was not the case. The police certainly had the time to prepare this operation such as it was.

The circumstances require a prepared police psychologist or similar prepared and trained person present at or conducting those interviews if they are going to do that.

If the police failed to do that, then sadly they also failed in the duty they were attempting to perform.

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Reply # 1658902 27-Oct-2016 12:31

The cops have been using these tactics for *years*.

Back in about 1995, Labour Day, at 4pm, the cops had a checkpoint just north of Waiouru, stopping all southbound vehicles for a breath-test. If that was a genuine attempt to catch drunk drivers, then it really is Keystone Kops to allow those drunk drivers to drive for an hour across the Desert Rd before stopping them. A sane strategy would have been to have the checkpoint at the *Northern* end of the Desert Rd.

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Reply # 1658975 27-Oct-2016 12:57

Again, no complaints about the ones doing the actual work. There are always bad apples, but in my experience most cops are good guys. It is the ones who make these kinds of policy decisions that are the real keystone klowns and those are the ones being taken to task (fortunately) over this latest farce. Maybe the Peter principle also applies here, the ones who are not any good as cops get kicked upstairs to management. Whatever the reason, this kind of excess needs to be nipped in the bud before it goes any further.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1659181 27-Oct-2016 17:19

More details regarding this travesty:

http://www.ves.org.nz/news-etc/4341623

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Reply # 1659201 27-Oct-2016 17:45

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Rikkitic:
More details regarding this travesty:

http://www.ves.org.nz/news-etc/4341623

The above press release is a good example. I really do wish people would stop mentioning suicide in the same context as end of life voluntary euthanasia. It is not the same thing not even close.

Suicide is usually a pointless and entirely unnecessary act. That shows in the number of people that will go on to live very happy lives after an interrupted or prevented incident of that nature.

'End of life voluntary euthanasia' it is a completely different thing.

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Reply # 1659203 27-Oct-2016 17:50

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A very good opinion piece on the police action.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/316653/'phoney'-checkpoint-a-direct-challenge-to-nz's-freedoms

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Reply # 1659537 28-Oct-2016 10:21

Relevant: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11737581

MikeB4

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Reply # 1659555 28-Oct-2016 10:40

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frankv:

The cops have been using these tactics for *years*.

Back in about 1995, Labour Day, at 4pm, the cops had a checkpoint just north of Waiouru, stopping all southbound vehicles for a breath-test. If that was a genuine attempt to catch drunk drivers, then it really is Keystone Kops to allow those drunk drivers to drive for an hour across the Desert Rd before stopping them. A sane strategy would have been to have the checkpoint at the *Northern* end of the Desert Rd.

1995 wow, that's relevant.

Mike
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The great divide is the lies from both sides.

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Reply # 1659723 28-Oct-2016 13:03

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Relevant: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11737140

"Nine people were later visited and given counselling and support."

The *Police* are going around counselling people??? I read this as spin for "questioned and warned".

And:

RadioNZ said: "Police say they thought long and hard about this operation.". Now it is "Under questioning by reporters, he said the checkpoint was not planned in advance and was an example of police "thinking on their feet"."

I smell desperate damage-limitation bullsh!t.

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