IR-01-22-24668
12 October 2022
James Sullivan
[FYI request #20244 email]
Tēnā koe James
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request dated 17 August 2022.
You wrote:
There is a known problem globally, and specifically the US, of malicious actors
making false emergency calls to trigger armed police responses on targets. This
is commonly known as 'swatting' https://arstechnica.com/tech-
policy/2022/08/deadly-swatting-increasing-on-twitch-alarmed-streamers-press-
for-change/
I would like to know if NZ Police has any policy or process where individuals can
identify themselves at increased risk of such crimes.
The Police communication centres do not have any specific policies about swatting.
Many calls are made by people daily who believe their emergency is real even if it turns
out not to be the case and this can be context related, dependent on their point of view,
or perhaps a result of mental health concerns, but it does not make them a hoax call.
Emergency Caller Location Information (ECLI) Service in New Zealand prevents many
repeat hoax and spurious calls because callers and their location can be easily identified
through ECLI and further enquiries with those callers can be made. Details about ECLI
can be found here on the MBIE website1.
1 https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/it-communications-and-
broadband/our-role-in-the-ict-sector/emergency-call-services/emergency-caller-location-
information/
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. Fax: 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz
When information is received that a person is at a heightened risk of any victimisation,
one of the options Police can take is capturing this information as an alert that will inform
any future response to any event regarding that person.
New Zealand Police uses a threat assessment methodology called TENR. It is a
decision-making process that supports the timely and accurate assessment of information
directly relevant to the safety of Police and others. The response to any given situation
must be considered, timely, proportionate, and appropriate.
The overriding principle when applying TENR is that of 'safety is success'. Victim, public,
and employee safety are paramount, and every effort must be made to minimise harm
and maximise safety.
TENR is a tool that enables better decision-making where:
T - the threat is assessed
E - the exposure is managed
N - the necessity to intervene is considered
R - and any response is proportionate, and based on a considered risk assessment of
threat, exposure, and necessity.
The Perceived Cumulative Assessment (PCA) is used to determine Police's decision-
making. The PCA is the officer’s subjective assessment, and continuous reassessment,
of an incident, using the TENR model, based on information known about the situation
and the subject’s behaviour.
The PCA may escalate and de-escalate more than once during an incident. The officer’s
decision to escalate or de-escalate their response, and their choice of tactical options,
must be continuously reassessed, using the TENR model, so they choose the most
reasonable option, given all the circumstances known at the time.
The TENR system that Police dispatchers and staff in the field use ensures that identified
threat information is assessed and that a measured and appropriate response is provided
to each incident. For example, just because firearms are mentioned in an event, it does
not automatically become a full Armed Offenders Squad response. Rather the nature of
the threat, corroboration of information, people involved, all based on the TENR
framework will always dictate the response.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Superintendent Dave Greig
Director Capability
