Protection Order Bloopers
Shocked residents are recovering from a raid on an Auckland suburban address by a team of armed police at 6.00 am Sunday morning.
The stunned family, with three young children aged 4, 6 and 9, who did not wish to be named, were woken by Police looking for the previous occupants of their rented accommodation.
“We were woken by someone yelling “open up or we’ll break the door down” and police running around with weapons drawn. It was like an American TV cop show.”
In a statement from the Auckland Command Centre, Police acknowledged that a computer error was at the centre of this morning’s raid. The previous residents, a mother and two children with a protection order, who we cannot identify due to publication restrictions in the Domestic Offender Tracking Act, had recently moved.
Although Police had been advised of the mother’s new location, the information relating to the previous ‘monitored exclusion zone’ had not been deleted from the offender tracking database.
Police located their suspect at a nearby address where the couple’s oldest son is now flatting. The 39 year old father of four was being spoken to by Police when our reporter arrived at the scene.
“I can’t understand what all the fuss is about,” he said. “(Son’s name withheld) and I are just going fishing for the day.”
Police are remaining tight lipped about whether the Police car involved in this morning’s fatal accident was one of the cars racing to the address.
A 33 year old mother of three remains in a critical condition in Auckland hospital today with her husband keeping vigil at her bedside. The deceased is understood to be the couples’ 6 month old daughter.
Police media said there would be no further comment while the accident is under investigation.
Meanwhile, at an upmarket address a few blocks away, a young lawyer commented to his parents on the ‘travesty of the situation’.
“Well, the Police can’t always protect everyone, there are going to be some casualties along the way,” said the retired judge.
“Which idiot came up with this stupid tagging legislation anyway; one of the bunnies from the home of the lazy and the incompetent.”
“That would your be grandfather,” said his mother quietly. “Best you get back to the hospital in case Lilly comes around.”
N.B. This is a totally fictional and predictive news report based on predictive enforcement legislation.”
The pregnancy and development of the legislation was first reported on by Domestic Violence reporter Steve Kilgallon reporting for Stuffed News in an article headed ‘Tag All Family Abusers’.
The former Supreme Court judge leading the Glenn Inquiry wants to electronically tag men on domestic violence protection orders so an alarm sounds if they approach the family home.
Bill Wilson, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s release of the inquiry’s People’s Report, also wants a complete reform of the Family Court and is calling on a cross-party commitment to an overhaul of the family violence system.
Curiously, the occurrence of perjury seems to be a lot more common in women, than actual violence in men. Can we find some sort of canary that will squawk out, just before a woman commits perjury, before her lips even start to move? Parrot or vulture?
I remember seeing a TV dramatised documentary about 25 years ago, about a USA family, husband, wife and three young children. They were raided for drugs. Turns out the police got the street name right, but the suburb completely wrong. Didn’t matter anyway, as first search discovered no drugs. The No. 2 detective went out to his car and then, lo and behold, the repeat search discovered cocaine in a fairly substantial quantity.
Despite no prior convictions and no known connections with drugs and an obvious work history exactly in line with his spending behaviour… It took about 5 years for the family to be acquitted, during which time the husband lost his job, was imprisoned and they lost all their friends. Even after acquittal, they were still hounded out of their suburb.
As I was thinking how such a thing was impossible in NZ, I guess Inspector John Hutton was following his supervisor’s instructions to do something a step or two more heinous in NZ.
Comment by MurrayBacon — Sun 15th June 2014 @ 7:11 pm
Are you referring to Bruce Hutton and the crew murders or someone else?
Comment by Downunder — Mon 16th June 2014 @ 3:52 pm
I do like the Idea of being able to track proven offenders (Helen Milner and Gaye Oakes are 2 that come to mind quickly.)
Seriously, in certain circumstances The Judge can order the offender to wear a bracelet for a given time. I am thinking of a diversion type scheme where the alleged offender wears the bracelet for say 6 months then no problems, discharge without conviction!
Comment by Alastair — Mon 16th June 2014 @ 5:17 pm
Sorry, my mistake. Bruce Hutton it was. Thanks for picking it up.
Comment by MurrayBacon — Mon 16th June 2014 @ 5:55 pm
Electronic tagging of men to go ahead in Victoria
Comment by Downunder — Sat 11th October 2014 @ 11:52 am
An electronic tag today ….
… an embedded chip tomorrow ….
This is the start of the end.
Me thinks Armageddon-out-of-here …..
Comment by OMG! You're *$%&^)&(* — Sun 12th October 2014 @ 8:14 am