You're listening to the Canterbury Morning's Podcast with John McDonald from News Talk ZB.

You're listening to the Canterbury Morning's Podcast with John McDonald from News Talk ZB.

A Day's the day, eh to Day's the day that one of the most ridiculous laws we've ever seen in this country starts being enforced by the police as of midnight last night, so it's already underway. As of midnight. It is illegal for gang members to wear their patches out in public. And not only that the government also wants the cops to stop gang members hanging out together in public. As far as I'm concerned, this is just another placebo policy. You're not that is, it's a policy that might make us feel good, might make us feel a bit better, but won't actually make much difference. And instead of this nonsense, the government should just be letting the cops do more of the great work they've been doing already to crack down on the criminal activities that we know gang members are involved in. The Common Cheierros case in point, Commonchierro's are perfect example. Remember back in September when the cops arrested pretty much every Common Sera member in the country after that what three year undercover operation, and what they did is they charged them with importing and selling drugs, running what was described as a pretty elaborate money laundering scheme, and also running those military caps remember that run by a former US Marine. And I know we said at the time that it probably wasn't going to spell the end of the Common Heiros in New Zealand. Well I did anyway. That's because they're a gang that actually has clout and international connections. Nevertheless, the police have shown us what can happen if they're just allowed to get on with it. And if the government was serious with all its talk about making life difficult for the gangs, then it wouldn't be telling the cops to be searching for gang patches and hanky draws. What I'm saying is we should be focusing on the crimes already being committed by gang members instead of creating another crime, which is what this new law coming into force today doing. In fact, in fact, I would go as far as agreeing with a gang guy I saw on the news last night who said that this gang patch band criminalizes people for doing something where there are actually no victims. Think about it. Think about it. If you see someone going down the street wearing a gang patch, does that make you a victim. Now you might say, well, yes it does, because whenever you see a gang patch you might feel uncomfortable. But does it make you a victim? Really, I don't think it does. There are all sorts of people out there who make me feel uncomfortable or intimidated, who aren't necessarily gang members. Tell that to the new police commissioner though, Richard Chambers, who you might have heard speaking with Mike a couple of hours ago. Mike was talking to him about me other new job, but also asked him what he thought about these new gang laws and he said, wow, funny you should ask. He didn't actually put it that way, but he did say that. In Hastings at three minutes past midnight, me and minutes after these laws came into force, three minutes past midnight and Hastings police stopped a gang member traveling in a vehicle. The gang member was wearing a patch, and so they dished out their first charge under the new law. And according to Commission of Chambers, it all went swimmingly.

A Day's the day, eh to Day's the day that one of the most ridiculous laws we've ever seen in this country starts being enforced by the police as of midnight last night, so it's already underway. As of midnight. It is illegal for gang members to wear their patches out in public. And not only that the government also wants the cops to stop gang members hanging out together in public. As far as I'm concerned, this is just another placebo policy. You're not that is, it's a policy that might make us feel good, might make us feel a bit better, but won't actually make much difference. And instead of this nonsense, the government should just be letting the cops do more of the great work they've been doing already to crack down on the criminal activities that we know gang members are involved in. The Common Cheierros case in point, Commonchierro's are perfect example. Remember back in September when the cops arrested pretty much every Common Sera member in the country after that what three year undercover operation, and what they did is they charged them with importing and selling drugs, running what was described as a pretty elaborate money laundering scheme, and also running those military caps remember that run by a former US Marine. And I know we said at the time that it probably wasn't going to spell the end of the Common Heiros in New Zealand. Well I did anyway. That's because they're a gang that actually has clout and international connections. Nevertheless, the police have shown us what can happen if they're just allowed to get on with it. And if the government was serious with all its talk about making life difficult for the gangs, then it wouldn't be telling the cops to be searching for gang patches and hanky draws. What I'm saying is we should be focusing on the crimes already being committed by gang members instead of creating another crime, which is what this new law coming into force today doing. In fact, in fact, I would go as far as agreeing with a gang guy I saw on the news last night who said that this gang patch band criminalizes people for doing something where there are actually no victims. Think about it. Think about it. If you see someone going down the street wearing a gang patch, does that make you a victim. Now you might say, well, yes it does, because whenever you see a gang patch you might feel uncomfortable. But does it make you a victim? Really, I don't think it does. There are all sorts of people out there who make me feel uncomfortable or intimidated, who aren't necessarily gang members. Tell that to the new police commissioner though, Richard Chambers, who you might have heard speaking with Mike a couple of hours ago. Mike was talking to him about me other new job, but also asked him what he thought about these new gang laws and he said, wow, funny you should ask. He didn't actually put it that way, but he did say that. In Hastings at three minutes past midnight, me and minutes after these laws came into force, three minutes past midnight and Hastings police stopped a gang member traveling in a vehicle. The gang member was wearing a patch, and so they dished out their first charge under the new law. And according to Commission of Chambers, it all went swimmingly.

My staff did a marvelous job. I dealt with them incredibly professionally. The person that we were interacting with was respectful to the police, staff. So I'm you know, I'm happy with how that went, and I suspect there'll be more such interactions become.

My staff did a marvelous job. I dealt with them incredibly professionally. The person that we were interacting with was respectful to the police, staff. So I'm you know, I'm happy with how that went, and I suspect there'll be more such interactions become.

I'm sure there will. The thing is, though, and the police commissioner knows this. The thing is stopping one guy in a car is a different kettle of fish from dealing with a whole lot of gang members in one spot. Or it's a different kettle of fish from going into homes of gang members and having a nosy around for gang patches, isn't it. That's what the cops are expected to do from today as well, to go through hanky draws and wardrobes and pull out the patches if there's a gang member with criminal convictions living there. I mean, what a waste of time and resources. Another gang person in the news today who I agree with as well is lifetime Black Power member and community advocate A Tennis Riley. He's saying, quote, this legislation is just pandering to an anxious, white middle class population who the research demonstrates other people least likely to be affected by gang activity, end of quote. And he is spot on, which is why I'm calling this a placebo policy, because making life difficult for gangs isn't taking their patches off of them or throwing the book at them if the court wearing them public because a gang member doesn't have to wear a patch to tell the world which gang they're in. Making life difficult for them is all about infiltrating their networks, cracking down on all the illegal stuff they're involved in, which is why I think the gangs are going to be the winners in this so called crackdown on gang patches and gangs congregating in public.

I'm sure there will. The thing is, though, and the police commissioner knows this. The thing is stopping one guy in a car is a different kettle of fish from dealing with a whole lot of gang members in one spot. Or it's a different kettle of fish from going into homes of gang members and having a nosy around for gang patches, isn't it. That's what the cops are expected to do from today as well, to go through hanky draws and wardrobes and pull out the patches if there's a gang member with criminal convictions living there. I mean, what a waste of time and resources. Another gang person in the news today who I agree with as well is lifetime Black Power member and community advocate A Tennis Riley. He's saying, quote, this legislation is just pandering to an anxious, white middle class population who the research demonstrates other people least likely to be affected by gang activity, end of quote. And he is spot on, which is why I'm calling this a placebo policy, because making life difficult for gangs isn't taking their patches off of them or throwing the book at them if the court wearing them public because a gang member doesn't have to wear a patch to tell the world which gang they're in. Making life difficult for them is all about infiltrating their networks, cracking down on all the illegal stuff they're involved in, which is why I think the gangs are going to be the winners in this so called crackdown on gang patches and gangs congregating in public.

For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live to news talks It'd be christ Church from nine am weekdays. Follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live to news talks It'd be christ Church from nine am weekdays. Follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.