Controversial police directive saw retail crime investigations halve in some regions

RNZ News

6 days ago

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers.
Photo:
Calvin Samuel / RNZ
A former police directive to staff on retail crime thresholds has led to a significant decrease in the number of files being investigated across the country, documents released to RNZ reveal.
The directive, which has since been scrapped, told staff they would no longer be investigating allegations of retail crime below certain financial thresholds .
In the first 12 days of the directive, Wellington had the biggest shift in total number of cases going from an average of 60 per day to 30.
Auckland City had a 26 percent drop, Tasman 56 percent, Canterbury 13 percent and Southern 37 percent.
RNZ earlier revealed a directive was sent to staff relating to police's File Management Centre (FMC) titled 'Assignment Changes - Theft and Fraud'.
The directive said FMC was applying "nationally standardised value thresholds" when assessing theft and fraud files. The value thresholds were: General theft $200, petrol drive off $150, shoplifting $500, fraud (paywave, online, scam etc) $1000, and all other fraud $500.
"When assessing files with these offences, you will apply the relevant value threshold and file any file under that threshold regardless of any lines of enquiry or IFA score," it said.
Following the revelations, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers canned the directive, which he called "confusing and unhelpful" following significant backlash.
On Wednesday, a series of documents from police under the Official Information Act was released to RNZ.
The documents include an email from 7 April revealing the number of files being assigned for investigation since the rules were put in place 12 days earlier.
In the email, the police advisor said Wellington had the biggest change from an average of 60 per day to an average of 30. The numbers were being compared to baseline data over a 47-day period before the threshold was put into place.
During the same period Auckland City had a 26 percent decrease, Counties Manukau 21 percent, Eastern 38 percent, Central 42 percent and Canterbury 13 percent. Waikato had a 2.7 percent
increase, which the staffer said was due to filed being reassigned and appearing twice.
The OIA also includes a template that had been created to send to victims whose crimes did not meet the threshold.
The email thanked the victims for reporting their crime but said they "regret to advise, at this time, police is unable to investigate further".
"While we would like to resolve all matters to our victims' complete satisfaction, there are occasions where we cannot," it said.
"Investigations are prioritised using a range of factors including legal timeframes and the likelihood of a successful conviction."
The email said police appreciated this may be "frustrating and upsetting" to hear, "particularly if you reported the incident recently or provided lines of enquiry".
"We will however review your case if our ability to resolve this matter changes."
Police earlier launched a review to establish how many cases of retail crime were filed while the controversial directive was in place.
A police spokesperson earlier confirmed to RNZ the national value threshold applied to the prioritisation of lower-level theft and fraud offences was being removed.
"A review is being completed on any cases that may have been impacted by those thresholds to assess whether they should be assigned to districts for follow-up," the spokesperson said.
The review will be done by police's data quality team.
"Police want to reassure that cases will continue to be managed locally balancing demand, resources and priorities to ensure the best possible service to victims in those communities."
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