Police recruits are going behind the wire to meet with prisoners convicted of drug crimes.
The partnership between New Zealand Police and Corrections has been on trial in Canterbury for two years, and is described as a chance for both sides to “humanise one another”.
Police recruit Patrick Thacker, who is months from graduating, said he could not praise the concept enough.
“Just talking to these people with these views and different upbringing and different backgrounds is huge for someone like myself who is going to deal with that on a daily basis.
“I’ve never had an experience like it,” said Thacker.
Senior Sergeant Ben Fitzpatrick said the idea came after the executive team sat down with some inmates who opened up about their lives and the interactions they had with police.
“I have come and sat in these meetings and there's been men that I have dealt with for criminal offending and you know recognising each other and it's a very different conversation than what we would have out on the street.
“It probably changes how I view some of the work I've done and when I am out in the field now, it does bring a different view to how you approach things,” said Fitzpatrick.
One inmate, who could not be identified, was finishing up his 15th stint in prison when he sat down with 1News to talk about his experience with the programme.
He was dubious at first and said it was something he never thought he’d do in his life.
“There's this stigma of us and him, you know, don't talk to the police, but they are on their journey and I'm on mine.
“I've owned they were there to uphold the law and I was breaking the law. So regardless of any way I felt, when they came to arrest me it was cause I probably needed to be arrested,” said the man.
Corrections Officer Robyn Kaa said while it’s taken some convincing, everyone has gone away with something new.
“I've even had some men that they've felt like they've been able to apologise for their behaviour to the police for the first time,” said Kaa.
Ben Fitzpatrick said consideration should be given to put the programme in other areas.
Police and Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell said while it was an operational matter, “I think if it's working down there it's something definitely they should look at.”
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