NationStates Jolt Archive

Recently in New Zealand, in order to make more money the NZ Police have been targeting "boy racers" and extracting all the money they can from them.
There have been recent investigations by new papers that have found hundreds of cases, predominantly theft, but some serious like rape, that have been parked and not investigated because of numerous detectives and inestigative officers that have been relegated to traffic duty to try and fight this "epidemic".

I work at a fast food resturant in the centre city of Christchurch and we are about to have the annual "4's and rotarys" car show. This is the years main meet with all the top performance cars in the country at the local raceway (Ruapuna). this (http://www.freewebs.com/beaten_souls/police.htm) letter has been distributed to all of the shops in our area by the police.

I think that this is apalling. If it had've warned of high traffic volume I wouldnt've minded. But the fact that it is effectively saying "young people will be around. They break stuff and cause problems. Kick them out of your area."

I am keen to know if you guys agree or if I am just being unreasonable.

You are just being unreasonable. If I own a business, Id be very happy about the way my tax dollars are being spent if the police is nice enough to warn me of potential problems.

You are just being unreasonable. If I own a business, Id be very happy about the way my tax dollars are being spent if the police is nice enough to warn me of potential problems.

surely isnt bashing a section of the public for causing trouble, before the event is just going to make matters worse? If I sent round a news letter saying for everyone to lock their doors before a garden club meeting there would be hell to pay. I would be locked up before I finished typing it on the computer

surely isnt bashing a section of the public for causing trouble, before the event is just going to make matters worse?


Nope. It will make matters better. Businesses would be sure to hire extra security for those days and wouldnt be caught unprepared.


If I sent round a news letter saying for everyone to lock their doors before a garden club meeting there would be hell to pay. I would be locked up before I finished typing it on the computer

Is your government that bad?

Is your government that bad?

In what respect?

In what respect?

That they would lock you up for warning people about potential danger.

surely isnt bashing a section of the public for causing trouble, before the event is just going to make matters worse? If I sent round a news letter saying for everyone to lock their doors before a garden club meeting there would be hell to pay. I would be locked up before I finished typing it on the computer

If a particular group has shown a tendancy to act a certain way in past gatherings, it some reasonable to assume they will continue to act the same way. Buisinesses should be informed so they can prepare to deal with the situation.

That they would lock you up for warning people about potential danger.

Its generally considered not to be a good thing if you verbally bash a group of the population without very good reason, unless its young people. Although we do actually have full freedom of speech, in terms of public opinion you tend to get a lot of bad press if you do it.

Its generally considered not to be a good thing if you verbally bash a group of the population without very good reason, unless its young people. Although we do actually have full freedom of speech, in terms of public opinion you tend to get a lot of bad press if you do it.

Thats not what has happened here. Read what the note says. It says they have had problems with them in the past so you can expect there to be problems again.

If a particular group has shown a tendancy to act a certain way in past gatherings, it some reasonable to assume they will continue to act the same way. Buisinesses should be informed so they can prepare to deal with the situation.

I worked the last two years during this meeting, and their "disorder" consisted in them parking on the road side of our carpark (to checkout the cars driving past) and a bit of litter left behind.

Thats not what has happened here. Read what the note says. It says they have had problems with them in the past so you can expect there to be problems again.

"your carpark has previously been used by these groups to congregate ...."
Thats the extent of the previous problems accordeing to this letter and my experiences seeing them. A long leap from that to "Untold Disorder"

"your carpark has previously been used by these groups to congregate ...."
Thats the extent of the previous problems accordeing to this letter and my experiences seeing them. A long leap from that to "Untold Disorder"

If thats all that had happened, do you think they would waste money and manpower on this? Use your brain.

If thats all that had happened, do you think they would waste money and manpower on this? Use your brain.

I am, What I am saying si that I think that the police are unfaily abusing their power to harass and persecute the youth not because they are guilty of anything but because A.) a lower proportion of them vote, so they can strip them of their money and its relatively unlikely to get the government voted out, and B.) because everyone wants to complain about someone, and both that old people love complaining about the youth, and because with an increasing older population they are becoming politically stronger (More voting power) and more vocal

I am, What I am saying si that I think that the police are unfaily abusing their power to harass and persecute the youth not because they are guilty of anything but because A.) a lower proportion of them vote, so they can strip them of their money and its relatively unlikely to get the government voted out, and B.) because everyone wants to complain about someone, and both that old people love complaining about the youth, and because with an increasing older population they are becoming politically stronger (More voting power) and more vocal

They are? I don't see any abuse of power. Your over-thinking things.

It just says don't lend them your car park. Because if shit turns sour, unless you want to clean up the mess.

They could be just overly cautious, perhaps slight slander (If you say their only offence is parking illegaly). But i see no wrong in giving the worst possible situation.

If nothing happeneds good and well. Lend them your car park.

We've had similar problems with the police in my country in the 60's. Only it wasn't car enthusiats that the police were targeting, it was civil rights activists. A few were actually murdered by the police. While I have trouble seeing the New Zeland polic going so far with car enthusists it is fairly easy to do so.

Remember, all of these things that are being said about the police having good reason to deal with trouble makers were said during the US civil rights movement, as well.
People said that the pole wouldn't abuse their power and that they wouldn't muder anyone. These people were wrong.

The police have power. When one with power is unquestioned it is much easier to for that person to lose reason and do something atrocious.

My recomendation is to provide them with a safe place to congregate. Maybe make some deal in advance. You might be able to get some money out of it. From my experience, car enthusists are reasonable people.