Some people seem to have the idea that, because you have rights when the police come calling, that you don’t have to respect them or listen to them if you’re not under arrest, and even then you can ignore them.
That’s simply not the case, as these pricks found out. Luckily they didn’t manage get anyone killed.
Shane Boyce, 23, and Chevelle Leese, 19, appeared in Napier District Court yesterday to defend two charges of obstructing police on May 7 – the first day of the three-day siege. The pair lived at a house at the bottom of Chaucer Rd. A third occupant, Mike Kemp, earlier pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined $1000. The maximum sentence is a $2000 fine.
What did they do? Well, firstly they wandered outside and didn’t go back until the police told them 5 times to do so. Then…
“A short time later I noticed someone’s head and a video camera [at the accused’s house] pointing towards me over the fence. I yelled at them to get back inside again. To be honest, I could not believe that someone could be that stupid.”
His yells attracted a volley of shots from Molenaar.
“They were close. They were being fired in the direction of myself and the person in the house. I believe it was my yelling that drew the attention of the shots.”
What did they think was going on? Tiddlywinks?
Other squad members, from Napier and Gisborne, said they also warned the three people in the house to get inside several times.
Several officers had to leave their positions and run into the open in an attempt to get to the house through neighbouring properties, but this was not possible because of vegetation in the way.
Finally, an officer yelled to the group that they were under arrest and told them to run across the road to cover.
So the police had to divert resources from a dangerous gunman in order to arrest these pricks. So twice they put lives in very real danger.
Kemp casually crossed the road holding a cup of tea.
Boyce followed, then Leese. Leese was walking until a volley of eight to 10 shots was fired by Molenaar and she started sprinting.
I don’t think people would blame the police for firing themselves at that point!
The deal with the police is the same as any other group – respect them and they’ll respect you. It’s the people who decide the police are their enemy who are the ones that get harassed. I’ve always treated the police as people who work to keep me (and others) safe, and have always had good experiences with them.
Something should go here, maybe later. 
“Respect the police”? You mean the politicised police force which treats Maori activists differently to other Kiwis? The police force which treats leftist agitators with kid gloves and declines to charge them for acts of violence? That same police force which moved on lawful protesters at the request of the Chinese Embassy?
Or perhaps the police who claim to be short-staffed when it comes to investigating claims of child abuse yet always has enough staff to man revenue-raising speed cameras?
I’m not excusing what the guys you mention did, but the police have only themselves to blame or the decline in public respect and support.
“for” the decline in public support, that is.
Respect the police when you’re dealing with them on the street.
That is quite different from asking for policy changes, or for policy to be properly implemented.
Up to a point, I’d agree with that. But the fact is, the police on the street are representative of an organization and if that organization is perceived as corrupt and/or incompetent then why would the members be treated with respect?
Nobody is forced to become a police officer so it’s reasonable to assume that those who do so have signed up to the ethos of the force. If that ethos is screwed, then so are they.
Following your logic, one may as well argue that individual stormtroopers deserved respect, despite the policies of their boss. 😉