Media Release

12 May 2003

Killers Roam Roads While Police Focus On Traffic Tickets

New Zealand First law and order spokesperson Ron Mark has accused the Minister of Police of being obsessed with traffic tickets instead of crime fighting.

Mr Mark has consistently criticised the form of policing in which police officers are set targets of issuing tickets for traffic offences and has declared it a revenue gathering exercise.

“If Mr Hawkins is so convinced that this form of policing is an effective use of police time, an accurate measure of productivity and a successful means of ensuring laws are not broken, why doesn’t the Government widen the scope of its quotas?” asked Mr Mark.

“What better way for the Government to justify the “quota system” than by using it to tackle other crime?

“If issuing one ticket an hour for speeding, one for non-wearing of seat belts and one for road safety issues makes our roads safer, why don’t police solve one burglary an hour, one violent crime an hour and one drug offence an hour in a drive to make New Zealand safer?”

“Too often the police are seen to be focusing on minor offences whilst major offenders remain untouched or even unnoticed. Kidnappings, murders, burglaries and rapes go unsolved whilst Mr Hawkins sits back and prides himself on an increase in the numbers of traffic tickets issued,” said Mr Mark.

ENDS

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