The media asked all Auckland Mayoral candidates about solutions to the recent crime wave of shootings in Auckland. However they like most know nothing about it. The media excluded the only mayoral candidate who knows anything about it., Ted Johnston BSc BA LLB, a Criminal barrister in South Auckland for the last 30 years.

I have seen a lot of these cases, and in fact have 4 current firearms clients.

These are the facts, and conclusions.

There have been over 20 shootings in over 2 weeks, yet no-one has been killed. That tells us that they are not intending to kill or they would have done so. It is for show and to intimidate.

Secondly it shows these gangs have no respect for the police, nor the government. They feel they can do as they please. And they can, as the police do not have the powers to control them.

Normal requirements for informers, search warrants, protection of their rights etc mean the police are fighting with their hands tied behind their backs. They will fail, and be too slow. Nor are the police trained to deal with real mass shootings.

The fact that the police only located 4 firearms, is because they are not stored at gang headquarters, but often with associates with no criminal record or obvious links. I remember one case where an armoury of shotguns, rifles, and ammunition was only located as a fleeing criminal had gone to that address followed by police.

The reality is, special powers as in anti-terrorism are needed for dealing with gun-wielding and using gangs. They have taken the danger and terror to the community up to a new level.

Normal gang behaviour can be controlled by police, but only a trained anti-gang anti-terrorism squad will work fast enough, and be efficient enough to immediately shut down the danger of widespread firearm usage.

The only way to suppress this behaviour is to come down so hard on the gangs involved that they will be afraid of the govt doing it again. Also the loss of finance and destruction of their gang numbers and organisation, with arrests and holding for weeks without charges, and confiscations of assets, will mean that even other gangs, who will suffer fallout will pressure the offending gangs to stop.

Using SAS or terrorism squads on normal gangs is like using a sledgehammer to hit a mosquito, it is a huge unnecessary overkill. However the danger to the public, and the public terror caused by firearms usage, means that resources of the state not normally used, will need to be diverted to end this threat, and end it fast. Even if it requires, dozens or hundreds of arrests and confiscations etc. That is what you are really looking at to limit and stop it.

The gangs will be aware of the massive cost to their organisation, their assets, their property, etc, and so will not want the Anti- gang terrorism squads involved. They will likely self- police themselves and other gangs.

National’s changes.

Firstly. Merely banning patches, will help drive the gangs undercover, make them more professional, and harder to identify and catch.

You will never be able to eradicate them completely. Like the poor they are always with us. You can only try to keep the levels as low as possible.

Secondly most gang members are often on release conditions with probation already , and they currently have the powers to stop gang association, as they can control where the released prisoners live and other restrictions on their freedoms. This will increase police powers, but will likely be unenforceable, especially as so many gang members are relatives.

Nationals suggestions are weak and will have little real effect on firearms especially.

501’s

I have represented a lot of 501’s returned from Australia, and they are a different breed from our local criminals. They are very polite, know how to use the criminal system to benefit themselves, and you often would not spot them as gang members. They still have their gang links, which has helped make NZ gangs more internationally linked and professional.

NZ should have demanded at least a million dollars per returned 501 to cover their future incarceration costs, as well as the costs of probation monitoring them as is required for a year or more on their return. Otherwise NZ should refuse to take them back.

These people were not criminals when they left NZ. Australia trained them up often from children and sent back hardened professional criminals. Australia should pay for this.

How to stop the gang firearms usage long term.

Firearms have to be obtained. All firearms need to have random police checks to ensure they are where they are registered to be. Normal law abiding citizens will realise the need for this and cooperate for a safer NZ.

To slow gangs growth and power, you need to slow the factors driving them. Basically they are driven now by opportunity for money, broken homes, as well as poverty.

The lack of opportunity for many without special abilities or skills in sport entertainment, or scholastically, in poorer areas and slums in NZ, mean that crime is the only pathway for many tempted, who want to join in and share all the good things and good lifestyle of the middle class or wealthy. Otherwise as they will never have an opportunity for a better life.

Invest in resources especially for the youth in the slums in South Auckland and other areas, more opportunity to join the rest of the people and not be born poor and live poor and struggling their whole lives. Assist families and broken homes. Then they may be less inclined to commit ram raids especially at a young age.

This is effectively insurance to cut crime. Crime may fester and grow in certain areas, but it always breaks out into all other areas.

© Scoop Media