Minister launches new safety equipment

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today launched a $3.6 million package of safety equipment and training designed to make Corrections staff safer at work.


"Our Corrections Officers deal with some of the country's most difficult and dangerous people. It is essential that these frontline staff have the tools to keep themselves as safe as possible," Ms Collins said at Spring Hill Corrections Facility, near Hamilton.


"While major assaults are rare, low-level assaults on staff happen almost every day at New Zealand prisons.


"The new safety measures will ensure that Corrections Officers have the training and the equipment to manage dangerous situations and to prevent them from arising in the first place."


The new equipment includes 764 stab-resistant vests, and spit hoods which will shield staff from communicable diseases in blood and saliva.


New batons will be made available to specially trained staff for use when all other options to gain order have been exhausted, and 3500 custodial staff will receive additional training in tactical communications and skills to de-escalate volatile incidents.


Improved offender management has already had an impact on the number of serious assaults in New Zealand prisons.


In the 2008/09 financial year there were eleven serious assaults against staff that resulted in hospitalisation or ongoing medical treatment. So far this financial year there have been none.


"It's too early to say this is a start of a trend, but this Government isn't prepared to take chances with the safety of staff," Ms Collins said.


"I hope we start to see consistently lower numbers of injuries as more of our staff make use of the new safety equipment and begin using the techniques they have learnt in de-escalation training."