Diplomatic Protection Squad
Encyclopedia
The Diplomatic Protection Squad (DPS) is a branch of the New Zealand Police
that provides personal security
for both national and visiting VIPs. National VIPs protected include the Prime Minister
, the Governor General, Ministers of the Crown, and the Leader of the Opposition
, both within New Zealand
and abroad. Previous visiting VIPs afforded DPS protection have included Tiger Woods
during the 2002 New Zealand Open
, and FBI Director Robert Mueller
.
The squad is based in the capital Wellington
, where the majority of foreign diplomatic missions are. Officers are experienced members of the New Zealand Police, who pass the DPS course at the Royal New Zealand Police College
. The course has training on topics such as diplomatic immunity
and unarmed combat. Squad members usually operate in plain clothes, and both genders can be squad members.
The New Zealand Police established the DPS in the mid 1970s, to meet New Zealand's obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
and Consular Relations
.
In May 2008, the DPS were testing a Holden Captiva
SUV, to replace the unmarked Holden sedans in use at the time.
on 9 December 2005.
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
that provides personal security
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
for both national and visiting VIPs. National VIPs protected include the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, the Governor General, Ministers of the Crown, and the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)
The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
, both within New Zealand
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...
and abroad. Previous visiting VIPs afforded DPS protection have included Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
during the 2002 New Zealand Open
New Zealand Open
The BMW New Zealand Open is the leading men's golf tournament in New Zealand. In 2011, it will be hosted by The Clearwater Resort in Christchurch from 1–4 December. The tournament is being promoted by New Zealand Golf...
, and FBI Director Robert Mueller
Robert Mueller
Robert Swan Mueller III is the 6th and current Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation .-Early life:...
.
The squad is based in the capital 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...
, where the majority of foreign diplomatic missions are. Officers are experienced members of the New Zealand Police, who pass the DPS course at the Royal New Zealand Police College
Royal New Zealand Police College
The Royal New Zealand Police College is the central training institution for police recruits and police officers in New Zealand. It is located at Papakowhai, approximately 2 km north of Porirua City....
. The course has training on topics such as diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
and unarmed combat. Squad members usually operate in plain clothes, and both genders can be squad members.
The New Zealand Police established the DPS in the mid 1970s, to meet New Zealand's obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. It specifies the privileges of a diplomatic mission that enable diplomats to perform their function without fear of coercion or...
and Consular Relations
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 is an international treaty that defines a framework for consular relations between independent countries...
.
Equipment
The DPS routinely carry firearms, in contrast to the regular police which generally do not. A 1993 report for the U.S. World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems stated DPS officers have access to semi-automatic machine pistols.In May 2008, the DPS were testing a Holden Captiva
Holden Captiva
The Holden Captiva is a crossover SUV produced by General Motors since 2006 and sold under the Holden name for the Australian and New Zealand markets. The Holden Captiva range comprises two different vehicles, the Opel Antara and the Chevrolet Captiva, both of which are sold alongside each other....
SUV, to replace the unmarked Holden sedans in use at the time.
Operations
- 1999 - Security for heads of state at the APEC New Zealand 1999, including U.S. President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
- 30 June 2000 - Squad members stand guard inside the Turkish consulate in Auckland, following Kurdish protests at the arrest of Abdullah ÖcalanAbdullah ÖcalanAbdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
. - September 2001 - Following the September 11 attacks, members of the DPS, Armed Offenders SquadArmed Offenders SquadThe Armed Offenders Squad is a specialist unit of the New Zealand Police designed to "cordon, contain and appeal to" armed and dangerous offenders. As the name explains, they are called upon when conflict with an armed offender has occurred or is considered imminent.The AOS draw upon a varied...
and the Special Tactics GroupSpecial Tactics GroupThe Special Tactics Group , formerly known as the Anti-Terrorist Squad, is the full-time tactical and counter-terrorism group of the New Zealand Police....
were involved in operations for two months at the Embassy of the United States in WellingtonEmbassy of the United States in WellingtonThe Embassy of the United States in Wellington, New Zealand along with the consulate general in Auckland provides assistance to American citizens and issues travel visas to foreign nationals who wish to visit the United States....
. It was the first time armed New Zealand police have been on U.S. Embassy soil. - 2002 - Operation Links, 400 police, including members of the DPS, protected players including Tiger Woods during the New Zealand Open.
Incidents
When the Prime Minister travels by road the DPS normally have a vehicle following behind, closer than is generally safe, to prevent other vehicles getting in between. The close proximity of the escort vehicle has caused a few minor nose-to-tail accidents, such as twice in six weeks during 2000, and on Ponsonby RoadPonsonby, New Zealand
Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland City located 2 km west of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand. The suburb is oriented along a ridge running north-south, which is followed by the main street of the suburb, Ponsonby Road....
on 9 December 2005.
- c.1993 - A DPS officer accidentally discharged his pistol into a briefcase aboard an airborne VIP aircraft, although Prime Minister Jim BolgerJim BolgerJames Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
was not aboard at the time. Police stated, "The bullet lodged in the battery pack of a police radio in the briefcase." - 2000 - Prime Minister Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen 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...
criticised the DPS handling of a state visit by Chinese President Jiang ZeminJiang ZeminJiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
the previous year - the DPS sought to minimise the president's exposure to protesters and save the government any embarrassment, which Clark rebuked by saying it was not in the spirit of democracy. - 17 July 2004 - Helen Clark's motorcade travels at speeds of up to 172 km/h, to catch a flight at ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch 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...
after a flight from TimaruTimaruTimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
was cancelled. The Timaru District Court acquitted a DPS officer of all six charges relating to dangerous driving, and the Police Complaints AuthorityPolice Complaints Authority (New Zealand)In New Zealand, the Independent Police Conduct Authority is an official governmental body with the following duties:* receive complaints about the conduct of Police officers* oversee the investigation of complaints made to the Authority or to the Police...
praised a subsequent review of the Diplomatic Protection Squad standard operating procedures and urgent duty driving. - 13 April 2005 - A door blew open on a six-seater charter airplane carrying Prime Minister Helen Clark. DPS officers Constable John Burridge and Senior Constable Dave Reid spent fifteen minutes holding the door closed with the aid of a baton, until the plane landed safely.
- August 2007 - The DPS are involved in shutting down a boy racer website that contained death threats against MP Clayton CosgroveClayton CosgroveClayton James Cosgrove is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Cosgrove was born in Nelson, New Zealand. He received a BA, in American Studies and Political Science, from the University of Canterbury in 1992 and received an MBA in 1996...
. - 2007 - Two breaches lead to a review of security at Helen Clark's Mount EdenMount EdenMount Eden is the name of a cinder cone and surrounding suburb in Auckland City, New Zealand, situated five kilometres south of the city centre. The mountain is the highest natural point in the whole of Auckland...
home, after taggers were able to put graffiti on the house, and a man who had robbed a dairy was able to hide in the garden while changing his clothes. - November 2008 - New Prime Minister John KeyJohn KeyJohn Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
's property in ParnellParnell, New ZealandParnell is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is often billed as Auckland's "oldest suburb" since it dates from the earliest days of the European settlement of Auckland in 1841...
, AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
caused some security headaches for the DPS due to the size (2,340 m²), and the pricing and availability of accommodation for officers. - February 2009 - Waitangi Day - Prime Minister John KeyJohn KeyJohn Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
is manhandled by a protester as he walks towards a maraeMaraeA marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
after getting out of his car. The incident caused speculation about the efficiency of the DPS.
External links
- Diplomatic Protection Squad at the New Zealand Police website