Howard Broad
Encyclopedia
Howard George Broad, CNZM (born 1957) was the thirtieth New Zealand
Commissioner of Police
, serving from 2006 to 2011. He is a former career police officer, working in uniform and as a detective for eighteen years, before moving into senior roles at the Police National Headquarters in Wellington
. As commissioner, he successfully completed rewriting the policing law, the introduction of taser
s, and survived a number of controversies in the media.
Broad has an LLB degree from the Victoria University of Wellington
, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor by the New Zealand Law Society
. He joined the police as a cadet in 1975, and was a beat officer for two years before entering the CIB
. He has certificates in Police Management from New Zealand, Canada
, and the United States
. In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, Broad was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
, for services as Commissioner of Police.
Police District from 1998 to 2003. In June 1999 he surprised colleagues by revealing details of his contract, which included performance-based portion of −5 to +8 percent.
Auckland Mayor Christine Fletcher
was sent a suspicious letter featuring a photo of a woman wielding a pistol and containing two lumps in October 2000. Broad personally took charge of the case, and checked with the mayor if she had received any other threatening communications. The letter turned out to be a false alarm, after being x-rayed police deemed it safe to open, and discovered a theatre invitation and lollies. In December that year the Minister of Police George Hawkins
told 57 Auckland police including Broad to return their cellphones, as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Police Association president Greg O'Connor, and opposition police spokesman Brian Neeson
, who suggested police would next be sharing teabags, derided the move.
For his work as the principal law enforcement member with Netsafe
, the national multi-agency Internet safety programme, the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (Canada) named him the 2002 inaugural winner of the International Law Enforcement Award.
He managed large security operations in Auckland, including the 11th APEC meeting (requiring protection of the President of the United States
), and Operation Marlin II for the 2003 America's Cup in Auckland.
Broad received a six-month secondment to the Home Office
Police Standards Unit in London
from September 2003 to March 2004, where he studied British policing procedures and technology, including a vehicle registration plate identification system.
announced Broad's appointment as Commissioner of Police on 4 April 2006, succeeding acting commissioner Steve Long, and with the support of opposition politicians. The government tasked him with rewriting the Police Act 1958, which was realised on 1 October 2008 with the Policing Act 2008
. He stated one of his goals as commissioner would be restoring public confidence in the police, and that youth gangs were an "area of opportunity" to prevent future crime.
Broad launched the Police Electronic Crime Laboratory in Wellington
on 24 September 2007, with a cellphone text message. He said "Crime is being increasingly committed in what is effectively the cyberspace wild west, a borderless environment where traditional policing methods are often no longer effective.", and stated the resource would let police better track criminals using the internet and electronic devices.
For New Year 2008, the busiest night of the year for police, he joined front-line officers on the beat in Christchurch
, where there were 32 arrests.
Broad paid tribute to Sergeants Derek Wootton and Don Wilkinson, officers killed separately in the line of duty in 2008. He announced he would be reviewing the Arms Act, as the air rifle suspected of causing Wilkinson's death could be purchased over the counter without a licence.
and headed by Dame Margaret Bazley
ran from 4 February 2004 to 26 March 2007, with the objective to investigate the way in which New Zealand Police had dealt with allegations of sexual assault by members of the police and associates. It investigated 313 complaints of sexual assault made between 1979 and 2005, 141 of which were serious enough to lay criminal charges. Broad unequivocally and unreservedly apologised for the damning findings of the report, saying, "I acknowledge the hurt and harm that has been done to you, your families and supporters. I am truly sorry that these few of our number have caused so much pain and grief that undermined that sense of high expectations New Zealanders rightly have of their police". He publicly committed to implementing 48 recommendations relating to the police, and assisting with the 12 relating to the Police Complaints Authority.
. When police conducted the dawn raids he announced they were necessary in the interest of public safety, that those arrested on 15 October had used firearms and other weapons at the military-style training camps. He told reporters, "I believe this is domestically oriented. I don't have evidence there is an international connection to this." Three hundred police were involved, resulting in the seizure of four guns and seventeen arrests. On 8 November, Solicitor General David Collins declined to prosecute under the Terrorism Suppression Act
, citing insufficient evidence. In the aftermath Ruatoki residents wanted utu
(revenge) in the form of Broad's resignation, a call echoed by the Māori Party
and Global Peace and Justice Auckland. Broad spoke at a Wainuiomata Marae hui
in March 2008, saying, "That there is hurt, I understand that, I understand how that happened and I deeply regret that." A Māori Party spokesperson said the speech was "a good start".
for diverting attention away from other political issues and needing government help to make a decision. He declined a request by a TVNZ journalist to be tasered himself.
revealed that in a pornographic film involving bestiality with a chicken screened at Broad's home in 1981. He acknowledged the film was shown but stated he only learnt about it afterwards and did not approve.
A 2008 investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority cleared Broad of allegations he had "pulled rank" to avoid being breath tested in 1992. A detective inspector in Christchurch at the time, he returned a positive breath alcohol test. The traffic officer told him to leave the car and walk, standard practice at the time, according to the inquiry. He reported the incident to his superior the following morning.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Commissioner of Police
Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)
The Commissioner of Police is the head of the New Zealand Police. The Commissioner is appointed for a three-year term by the Governor-General, and reports to the Minister of Police. The position combines two functions, that of chief constable in charge of policing and cases, and chief executive...
, serving from 2006 to 2011. He is a former career police officer, working in uniform and as a detective for eighteen years, before moving into senior roles at the Police National Headquarters in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. As commissioner, he successfully completed rewriting the policing law, the introduction of taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
s, and survived a number of controversies in the media.
Broad has an LLB degree from the Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor by the New Zealand Law Society
New Zealand Law Society
The New Zealand Law Society is the parent body for barristers and solicitors in New Zealand. It was established in 1869, and regulates all lawyers practising in New Zealand...
. He joined the police as a cadet in 1975, and was a beat officer for two years before entering the CIB
Criminal Investigation Branch
The Criminal Investigation Branch is one of the main branches of the New Zealand Police and it is dedicated to investigating and solving serious crime, and targeting organized crime and recidivist criminals. The CIB has existed since the civil Police Force was formed in 1886 by the Police Force...
. He has certificates in Police Management from New Zealand, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, Broad was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, for services as Commissioner of Police.
District Commander
Broad was District Commander of Auckland CityAuckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
Police District from 1998 to 2003. In June 1999 he surprised colleagues by revealing details of his contract, which included performance-based portion of −5 to +8 percent.
Auckland Mayor Christine Fletcher
Christine Fletcher
Christine Fletcher, QSO is an Auckland Council councillor and also prominent for her former New Zealand politics positions, both in Parliament and as Mayor of Auckland City. She was the second woman to serve as mayor of Auckland...
was sent a suspicious letter featuring a photo of a woman wielding a pistol and containing two lumps in October 2000. Broad personally took charge of the case, and checked with the mayor if she had received any other threatening communications. The letter turned out to be a false alarm, after being x-rayed police deemed it safe to open, and discovered a theatre invitation and lollies. In December that year the Minister of Police George Hawkins
George Warren Hawkins
George Warren Hawkins is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Hawkins was born in 1946 in the Auckland suburb of Mt Eden. He attended Dominion Road Primary School, Mount Albert Grammar School and then Auckland Teachers' College.-Papakura:Hawkins was a...
told 57 Auckland police including Broad to return their cellphones, as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Police Association president Greg O'Connor, and opposition police spokesman Brian Neeson
Brian Neeson
Brian Kevin Neeson is a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1990 to 2002, representing the National Party, and a member of the Waitemata District Health Board from 2004 - 2010.-Early life:...
, who suggested police would next be sharing teabags, derided the move.
For his work as the principal law enforcement member with Netsafe
Netsafe
NetSafe, the programme of New Zealand's Internet Safety Group , promotes and supports the confident, safe and responsible use of the internet and electronic communication technology, for all New Zealanders.- Membership :...
, the national multi-agency Internet safety programme, the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (Canada) named him the 2002 inaugural winner of the International Law Enforcement Award.
He managed large security operations in Auckland, including the 11th APEC meeting (requiring protection of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
), and Operation Marlin II for the 2003 America's Cup in Auckland.
Broad received a six-month secondment to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
Police Standards Unit in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from September 2003 to March 2004, where he studied British policing procedures and technology, including a vehicle registration plate identification system.
Commissioner
Minister of Police Annette KingAnnette King
Annette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:...
announced Broad's appointment as Commissioner of Police on 4 April 2006, succeeding acting commissioner Steve Long, and with the support of opposition politicians. The government tasked him with rewriting the Police Act 1958, which was realised on 1 October 2008 with the Policing Act 2008
Policing Act 2008
The Policing Act 2008 state the functions and provide for the governance and administration of the New Zealand Police. It replaced the Police Act 1958....
. He stated one of his goals as commissioner would be restoring public confidence in the police, and that youth gangs were an "area of opportunity" to prevent future crime.
Broad launched the Police Electronic Crime Laboratory in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
on 24 September 2007, with a cellphone text message. He said "Crime is being increasingly committed in what is effectively the cyberspace wild west, a borderless environment where traditional policing methods are often no longer effective.", and stated the resource would let police better track criminals using the internet and electronic devices.
For New Year 2008, the busiest night of the year for police, he joined front-line officers on the beat in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, where there were 32 arrests.
Broad paid tribute to Sergeants Derek Wootton and Don Wilkinson, officers killed separately in the line of duty in 2008. He announced he would be reviewing the Arms Act, as the air rifle suspected of causing Wilkinson's death could be purchased over the counter without a licence.
Commission of Inquiry
A Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct launched by Prime Minister Helen ClarkHelen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
and headed by Dame Margaret Bazley
Margaret Bazley
Dame Margaret Bazley DNZM is a distinguished New Zealand public servant.-Career:Bazley commenced her career as a nurse, rising from a position as a charge nurse at Tokanui Hospital, Te Awamutu in 1961 to Director, division of nursing, Department of Health in 1978, a position she held until 1984.In...
ran from 4 February 2004 to 26 March 2007, with the objective to investigate the way in which New Zealand Police had dealt with allegations of sexual assault by members of the police and associates. It investigated 313 complaints of sexual assault made between 1979 and 2005, 141 of which were serious enough to lay criminal charges. Broad unequivocally and unreservedly apologised for the damning findings of the report, saying, "I acknowledge the hurt and harm that has been done to you, your families and supporters. I am truly sorry that these few of our number have caused so much pain and grief that undermined that sense of high expectations New Zealanders rightly have of their police". He publicly committed to implementing 48 recommendations relating to the police, and assisting with the 12 relating to the Police Complaints Authority.
Anti-terror raids
A major police operation during his term was the 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids
The 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids were a series of armed police raids conducted on Monday, 15 October 2007, in response to the discovery of an alleged paramilitary training camp deep in the Urewera mountain range near the town of Ruatoki in the eastern Bay of Plenty...
. When police conducted the dawn raids he announced they were necessary in the interest of public safety, that those arrested on 15 October had used firearms and other weapons at the military-style training camps. He told reporters, "I believe this is domestically oriented. I don't have evidence there is an international connection to this." Three hundred police were involved, resulting in the seizure of four guns and seventeen arrests. On 8 November, Solicitor General David Collins declined to prosecute under the Terrorism Suppression Act
Terrorism Suppression Act 2002
The Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 is a piece of anti-terrorism legislation from New Zealand.In the first test of the Act, during the 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids, the Solicitor-General declined to press charges under it, because the legislation was too complex. It was amended in late 2007....
, citing insufficient evidence. In the aftermath Ruatoki residents wanted utu
Utu (Maori concept)
Utu is a Māori concept of reciprocation, or balance.To retain mana, both friendly and unfriendly actions require an appropriate response - hence utu covers both the reciprocation of kind deeds, and the seeking of revenge....
(revenge) in the form of Broad's resignation, a call echoed by the Māori Party
Maori Party
The Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
and Global Peace and Justice Auckland. Broad spoke at a Wainuiomata Marae hui
Hui (Maori assembly)
A hui is a New Zealand term for a social gathering or assembly.Originally a Māori language word, it was used by Europeans as early as 1846 when referring to Māori gatherings - but is now increasingly used in New Zealand English to describe events that are not exclusively Māori....
in March 2008, saying, "That there is hurt, I understand that, I understand how that happened and I deeply regret that." A Māori Party spokesperson said the speech was "a good start".
Tasers
The New Zealand police ran two trials examining the introduction of tasers, before Broad authorised their general use on 28 August 2008. The previous day he had taken the decision to parliament seeking input — opposition politicians and the Police Association criticised him and the Labour governmentFifth Labour Government of New Zealand
The Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand between 10 December 1999 and 19 November 2008.-Overview:The fourth National government, in power since 1990, was widely unpopular by 1999, with much of the public antagonised by a series of free-market economic reforms,...
for diverting attention away from other political issues and needing government help to make a decision. He declined a request by a TVNZ journalist to be tasered himself.
Media incidents
The May 2007 issue of Investigate magazineInvestigate (New Zealand)
Investigate is a current affairs magazine published in New Zealand. It has a conservative Christian editorial standpoint and has published a number of controversial articles. Many of the more notable articles have been critical of policies and members of the centre-left Fifth Labour Government of...
revealed that in a pornographic film involving bestiality with a chicken screened at Broad's home in 1981. He acknowledged the film was shown but stated he only learnt about it afterwards and did not approve.
A 2008 investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority cleared Broad of allegations he had "pulled rank" to avoid being breath tested in 1992. A detective inspector in Christchurch at the time, he returned a positive breath alcohol test. The traffic officer told him to leave the car and walk, standard practice at the time, according to the inquiry. He reported the incident to his superior the following morning.
Ranks and posts
- 1975: Police cadet, ConstableConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
- 1979–1985: Detective Constable, CIB
- 1986–1990: Detective Sergeant, Detective Inspector
- 1991: Shift Inspector
- 1992–1993: Detective Inspector, Region Support Group, Christchurch
- 1993–1994: Manager, Planning & Policy, Police National HQ
- 1995–1999: SuperintendentSuperintendent (police)Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, Strategy Group, Police National HQ - 1999–2003: District Commander, Auckland City Police District
- 2003–2004: Assistant CommissionerAssistant CommissionerAssistant commissioner is a rank used in many police forces across the globe. It is also a rank used in revenue administrations in many countries.-Australia:...
(seconded), Police Standards Unit, Home Office. UK - 2004–2006: Assistant Commissioner, Planning, Development & Deployment, Office of the Commissioner of Police
- 2006–: Commissioner of Police