"He spoke to the two occupants, one just 14 years old and the other aged 18, and headed back to his patrol car to do checks. He was then hit on the back and side of the head by one of the boys using the blunt side of a machete."
The car was later identified as stolen.
What on earth is going on with our youth? I don't like to throw the youth all into one group but these slim-balls are yet to be identified and I also don't like to attribute such violence to, perhaps, the latest movie release but it does make you wonder.
What on earth is going on here? What makes two boys even think about attacking a person let alone an officer? Look I know if I was in a stolen car and got pulled over, a few random escape plans would enter my head too but...machete? At best I'd probably give a false name and try my damnedest to lie my way out of trouble but give up the goose once I realised cops just ain't that dumb. Gee, better still, I'd not steal a car in the first place?
At the risk of sounding like some crusty old fart, things were way different when I was their age. I knew what was right and I knew what was wrong. Moreover, I knew that if I decided to do something wrong, there was a bloody good chance I'd be punished. There was never any space in my brain to even contemplate any other alternative like - if caught, we'll fight like shit to get out of it, kill if we have to.
Interestingly, I have just brought this story up with my 12 year old daughter. Her first question was "Oh, were they boys?" I nodded. "Ah, well it will be that testosterone then Mum," and before I could jump on my bandwagon, she added, "yeah but testosterone has been around for years so that's not it."
She then went on to tell me about a discussion her class had about bullying at school. "Most us girls said we'd tell them to piss of... oh, don't worry Mum, that's not like swearing or anything... but the boys, all of them, they all said they'd beat them up."
Why do they do that I asked.
She took a deep breath and shook her head. "It's just the way they've been raised."
- New Zealand Police Minister Judith Collin says she will be raising the issue of officers patrolling alone with Police Commissioner Howard Broad. She says it is not the first time a lone officer has been attacked in a rural environment.
- Between 2004-05 year and 2008-09, total assaults on Police increased by 33 per cent, from 1,869 to 2,481, while serious assaults increased by 38 percent, from 298 to 412. (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bill-assaults-police-corrections-officers-introduced-parliament )
- A cornerstone of the Government's law and order policy was to ensure there were 300 more officers on the frontline in Counties-Manukau by December 2010 than there was in December 2008, and an additional 300 around the rest of the country by December 2011. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/384-extra-police-nz-streets
- Due to low Police attrition during the recession, 11 of the 12 Police districts exceeded their staff levels in June 2009. The numbers are returning to the funded level and there will be 600 extra Police by December 2011.
- Surgery for cop attacked with machete | Stuff.co.nz:
I am not trying to be callous or uncaring here, but I bet that this Police Officer will not be waiting many months to have further surgery, rehabilitation, counselling etc - like so many others have (see NZ Herald artciles over the last week.
ReplyDeleteI reiterate that I am saddened by this brutal attack on the cop, but I am aware of other such similar assaults and the claimants are still waiting for action from ACC or many months later are told it's degenerative and are declined surgery - inspite of accepted claims for accidents???
Anon
ReplyDeleteYou do make a valid point there actually.