March 27, 2002

Auckland City Mayor John Banks has welcomed the announcement today of a $2.5 million funding deal for policing Auckland.

The package includes funds for 60 additional non-sworn staff, a second police radio frequency for Auckland city and a “modern cadet” scheme to attract 17 to 21 year olds into the police.

Mr Banks, who campaigned for the mayoralty on a platform of law and order, and was Minister of Police from 1990 to 93, says today’s announcement by Police Minister George Hawkins is good news.

“This is a step in the right direction,” he says. “It recognises some of the problems we have in servicing Auckland. Now is exactly the right time to be recruiting and encouraging police to help make this city a safer place."

He says it will be interesting to see non-service people filling front-line roles and fully supports the new cadet scheme.

Mr Banks says the best deterrent to bad public behaviour is to put more police on the streets, and the funding would go a long way to achieving this.

ENDS

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