On behalf of CANZ I would like to express my appreciation to all staff in Hawkes Bay Prison for a job well done under what can only be described as very difficult circumstances! Whilst everyone would acknowledge that death in custody is a “worst nightmare” scenario for those involved and affected, the manner in which it is dealt with has a lasting impact on all concerned. In this particular case, the efficient, effective and professional approach by PPS employees at all levels has accomplished a great deal in terms of minimizing the stress associated with such a tragic event.

Events of this nature are traumatic enough in isolation, but if they come at a time when there are other compounding problems, they can have a far greater impact. On this occasion, staff were not only dealing with a muster crisis, but also the potential repercussions of what appeared to be an attempted breakout. The vigilance and dedication of Hawkes Bay staff in identifying the attempted security breaches were decidedly impressive under the prevailing circumstances and the level of professionalism was underlined by the timely discovery and subsequent handling of the unfortunate fatality. I take my hat off to all concerned.

Having said that, we cannot ignore the fact that incidents of this nature are bound to raise stress levels and it is probably appropriate to review the events of the past few days in terms of applicable systems and procedures. The only people qualified to carry out this exercise are, of course, the affected staff and there are several options available to them. These include, but are not limited to:

1. Review and reconfirm – are the systems and procedures currently being used the “best practice” approach for dealing with the current crisis? If the answer is “yes”, then we simply debrief and continue unchanged. If the answer is “no”, then we should move on to option 2.

2. Review and restructure – is there anything we need to change in order to improve the systems and procedures currently in place? If the answer is “yes”, then discuss, document and implement the required changes. If the answer is “no”, then move on to option 3.

3. Review and reject – are the current muster levels safely manageable under options one and two (above)? If the answer is “yes”, then implement in accordance with the above guidelines. If the answer is “no”, then revisit the initial decision in accordance with the provisions of the H&SE Amendment Act.

Let me make it clear that we are not advocating change; we are simply reinforcing the fact that CANZ is membership driven and the decision is in your hands! Informal feedback would suggest that everything is under control, but it is important for the peace of mind of all concerned that we give you the opportunity to have your say.

Accordingly, all affected staff are invited to provide feedback to National Vice President Beven Hanlon via the PPS e-mail system in terms of options one, two or three above. This will provide us with a clear reality check and ensure that we continue to represent the best interests of our members.

Other Affected Institutions
Whilst dealing with a sensitive subject, it is probably timely to remind members in other institutions affected by the muster crisis that it is good practice to review and reconsider the applicable systems and procedures on a regular basis to ensure that we’ve “got it right”. If you’re happy with your current approach that’s fine, but if you have concerns and/or suggestions, they should be fed through to your site delegates for consideration and possible implementation.

In closing, I would once again extend the support and gratitude of all CANZ members to our Hawkes Bay colleagues for a remarkable effort under the most trying of circumstances.

Good Onya!

Regards,

Brian Davies
Senior National Organiser