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| Our History |
| Fire Police in New Zealand |
It's not known where Fire Police were first introduced in New Zealand but it was probably about 130 years ago when, as now, volunteers were enlisted as sworn constables to assist the local fire brigade in times of fire.
1878
The Christchurch Fire Police Corps was clearly well-established, mustering 23 members when it paraded at the founding meeting of the United Fire Brigades' Association. Invercargill listed Fire Police as part of its brigade in1887 and Wellington Fire Police began in 1899.
Early 1900's
Napier, Masterton, Palmerston North and Hawera were early Corps. Other brigades up and down the country also began adopting Fire Police, adding them to the Brigade Roll. Fire Police Corps in some centres were founded as separate entities. Fire Police were often provided-for in Provincial law and local by-laws which sometimes described their duties but nearly always spelled out their authority and powers as temporary or special constables.
1949
Fire Police were properly recognised in Statute - a similar clause to that in the current, 1975 Fire Service Act - providing for the establishment of Fire Police and the requirement to be sworn in as constables. However, the 1949 Act did not make it mandatory for Fire Police to be part of a brigade: they could be established as a "police unit" (note the lack of the word "fire" before "police" in the legislation) by an Urban Fire Authority and exist outside the aegis and administration of a fire brigade. Some Fire Police chose to continue as these separate entities, leading to a sometimes indifferent relationship with the local Brigade. And where a Fire Board allowed the Captain of the Fire Police to report directly to the Board, bypassing the Chief Fire Officer, there was further potential for hostilities, sometimes extending to the fireground where there was supposed to be no mistake - the Chief was in command.
1950's
The Fire Service Council, by this time overseeing nation-wide fire protection, confirmed the place of volunteer Fire Police when it drew up and circularised Operational Instructions for Fire Police, recommended for all brigades.
1960's
These Instructions were updated with an expanded list of duties (all non-fire fighting), uniform issue, rank and a suggested training regime. This was the foundation for the later Section M - Fire Police, in the Fire Service Manual of Administration.
1975
The new Fire Service Act drove all Fire Police in New Zealand into an integrated set-up with the words "With the consent of the senior officer of the Police in the district, any Chief Fire Officer, in accordance with the policy of the (Fire Service) Commission, may establish a volunteer fire police unit.". This meant that only the local Chief Fire Officer could establish Fire Police and then within nation-wide policies: Fire Police could no longer be formed, and presumably survive, separate from the Brigade.
1990's
Some brigades chose to drop the name Fire Police, calling these members Operational Support, Operations Support or Support Personnel. Many of these volunteers continue to carry out the same duties as Fire Police, but unsworn, using the wide-sweeping powers conferred in Section 28 of the Fire Service Act.
Present
With a rewrite of New Zealand's fire service legislation underway, there's a suggestion that volunteer Fire Police may not survive in name and with their present powers intact. All members may become support personnel, disconnecting a proud heritage conveyed in the title "Fire Police", and those who have willingly served in this role in many parts of New Zealand, for more than 130 years.
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