This is a part of No Pride in Prisons’ Abolitionist demands. These demands were originally published as a book. To see a pdf of the book, click here. To buy a copy, please email info@noprideinprisons.org.nz

As outlined in the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) is an independent body established to investigate allegations of Police misconduct, as well as to investigate any New Zealand Police-related incidents involving death or serious bodily harm.[1] In other words, it is the institution tasked with investigating and holding the New Zealand Police to account. However, as it currently exists, the IPCA fails to fulfil this stated purpose.

In part, that is because the IPCA is severely underfunded, and has been for many years.[2] In 2008/09, the IPCA received $4.7 million in funding.[3] In inflation-adjusted terms, the authority will receive just $3.6 million in 2016/17.[4] That means there has been a reduction in funding of the IPCA of 24% since the fifth National Government came to power. As a result, the IPCA has been unable to complete many investigations, meaning that some are completed internally by the New Zealand Police itself.[5] No Pride in Prisons contends that the New Zealand Police should never be investigating its own conduct. This is because, as with any organisation, internal investigation can result in problems being hidden or ignored in order to avoid accountability. Independent oversight is necessary to keep the Police from hiding, understating, or ignoring the damage it causes. For this reason, No Pride in Prisons demands that funding be increased to a level at which the IPCA is able to conduct all investigations itself.

Further, the IPCA can only recommend responses to the misconduct to the NZ Police.[6] According to the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act, the IPCA can only “convey its opinion” and “make such recommendations as it thinks fit.”[7] The Police, having received a report from the IPCA, can then choose whether or not to accept the findings of the report, including the IPCA’s recommendations.[8] In other words, the IPCA does not hold any power, in and of itself, to make police officers accountable. That means that if a police officer does something particularly harmful, beyond their regular police work, that the IPCA will not be able to hold them to account. If the New Zealand Police chooses not to take any action, that officer will be able to continue to engage in harmful behaviour as an employee of the state. No Pride in Prisons therefore demands that the IPCA’s powers be extended, enabling it to act on its findings. This may take the form of firing or reprimanding the officers responsible, as well as ensuring that reparations are made with the victim(s) by the New Zealand Police.

No Pride in Prisons recognises that even a fully-funded, powerful IPCA will not be able to undo all of the harm done by the New Zealand Police, as outlined in these abolitionist demands. Ultimately, we demand the abolition of the New Zealand Police. In the short term, however, increasing funding and extending the powers of the IPCA would ensure that the New Zealand Police is subject to checks and balances which are somewhat meaningful, and that its violence is both exposed and taken seriously.

[1] Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 s 12.

[2] Sam Sachdeva, “Police Watchdog IPCA Skips Investigations Due to Financial Pressures,” Stuff, 10 February 2016. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/76745028/Police-watchdog-IPCA-skips-investigations-due-to-financial-pressures.

[3] Tariana Turia, “Turia: Independent Police Conduct Authority,” Scoop, 26 September 2008. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0809/S00581.htm.

[4] Amy Adams, “Budget 2016: $1.2 million Funding Boost to IPCA,” Beehive, 2 June 2016. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/budget-2016-12-million-funding-boost-ipca.

[5] Henry Cooke, “IPCA Falls Far Short of its Goal,” Stuff, 13 November 2015. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/74026307/IPCA-falls-far-short-of-its-goal

[6] Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 s 27.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 s 28.