7 October 2002

Public need to decide on police priorities

Green MP Nandor Tanczos today said news that police were taking longer to respond to burglaries showed the public needed to decide on the allocation of police resources and priorities for police investigations.

Counties-Manukau police took more than 24 hours to respond to burglary complaints in August, compared with just over 15 hours in August last year.

"If it takes more than 24 hours to investigate a burglary why the hell are police spending 280,000 sworn police hours - at a cost of $20 million - investigating cannabis offences?

"This time and money - more than was spent on all other drugs combined - was mostly spent investigating and arresting adults for personal possession and use of cannabis."

Nandor said despite the heavy police spending on cannabis offences the laws were failing to keep cannabis out of schools.

"Most New Zealanders believe responsible adults should not be left alone. Reallocate the many millions of dollars we would save on more important things such as burglary, violent crime and those who sell drugs to kids," said Nandor.

ENDS

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