Napier Siege

From the police website:-

10:44pm 8 May 2009

Police dog Fi has been rescued alive and well from the back of a police vehicle at the property in Chaucer Rd, Napier.

Specialist staff were able to reach the dog van shortly before 10.30 tonight and found "a very much alive" Fi, Superintendent Russell Gibson said.

Mr Gibson said Fi doesn't appear to be hurt, but will be going to the vets tonight for a check-up. No other details are available at the moment.

Police are continuing to monitor the situation in Chaucer Rd.

Fi is a five-year-old German Shepherd and is Senior Constable Grant Diver's drug dog. Senior Constable Diver's condition is improving and he is now classified as "serious but stable". He has been moved from Intensive Care into a medical ward at Hawke's Bay Hospital.

Yay that is great the dog is ok and also the other policeman is improving! Must say I was disappointed this morning that it was all rumour last night and it is all still going!

You beat me to it Glow!! LOL! Thank god the situation is over and that he can no longer harm anyone else.

Mmm having spoken to a few police about it, they don't want guns either. They have no money to become adept at using them, and in highly stressful situations with adrenalin pumping it is very hard to control mind and body. There are also concerns that they could easily lose their guns in a scuffle and have them used against them.

As for the police not knowing that he had guns, he did not have a gun licence (as required by law) and the guns were therefore not registered. Unfortunately without becoming a big brother state where you are required to submit an inventory of your house and have a regular and random inspection of your property at any time it is almost impossible to stop someone buying illegal weapons.

Police funding is so limited for the horrendous amount of work they have to do that they cannot have surveillence in place for months on end for minor (possible) offenders that would possibly allow them a chance to see - and once again they cant go into his house - how could they know? They respond to 1000s of cases a week of this nature, they execute 1000s of warrants and searches, there simply just isnt enough of them to have an armed officer accompanying them to every one!!

The police are not allowed to complain about their work conditions without facing suspension (as per the police officer that wrote a letter to the editor in his private capacity and was supsended for doing so) - they are not allowed to strike by law, they have to buy their own notebooks. I am aware that many have been sent into "undercover" roles to spy on cannabis plantations in their conspicuous blue uniforms because they are not supplied with camo gear.

The reality is that this is a rare incident, and has to be viewed with perspective - and without seeming blazai about the seriousness of it - sometimes bad sh&% happens! We should be grateful that in NZ our society and the police do such a good job at limiting this to such rare occurances that it can be a "big deal" when it does happen.

I am just glad this is over so that people can move on and hopefully it doesnt happen again.