Monday, 11 January 2021, 3:04 pm
A prominent educationalist says with more Kiwi kids
engaging in part-time online learning this summer, it’s
positive that Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft
has supported the flexibility online education can offer
many young students.
“It’s really refreshing to
hear from the Children’s Commissioner about the importance
of versality in education and the need for fair and
equitable access to technology for learning,” says Jamie
Beaton, Founder of Crimson Global Academy (CGA).
Mr
Beaton says we often hear from the Children’s Commissioner
responding to negative statistics around child violence and
deprivation. For Judge Becroft to also focus on the future
Stuff has since been leaked a copy of the online training module officers are asked to complete as part of the revised policy. The module, referred to as a “compliance course” for dealing with fleeing drivers gives officers a number of cards, each listing a different scenario. Officers are then asked to decide if it would justify a pursuit. The two options are no and maybe. Among the scenarios that would not be justified are - wanted for burglary, a driver weaving across lanes, if police believed there was 3kg of meth in the car (which carries a maximum offence of life imprisonment), a suspected stolen vehicle and travelling at high speed.
There have been several high-profile fatalities resulting in criticism of police since then, including Kenneth McCaul, who was killed when a fleeing driver t-boned him on his way to work in 2019. Frontline police say chasing suspected drunk drivers, car thieves and suspicious vehicles will now be a thing of the past because the suspected crime does not justify the risk.
David Walker/Stuff The email Stuff obtained was sent by Wellington road policing manager Inspector Wade Jennings to frontline police in the district. The “revised” policy suggests “changing mindsets, our pursuing decisions, and how we resolve them”. “Pursuits are a high-risk tactical option, it is very difficult to place black and white rules so there is going to be a lot of educating and discussions,” Jennings wrote.