Police attrition rate continues to trend downwards

Turnover among sworn police staff continues to show a pleasing trend downwards, Police Minister George Hawkins says.

"Figures for the year ending 31 March 2004 show a 4.1 per cent attrition rate for sworn police officers, compared with 5.2 per cent for the previous year and 5.1 per cent in 2000," Mr Hawkins said.

"The attrition rate for non-sworn police staff to 31 March 2004 was 9.2 per cent, compared with 9 per cent for the same period in 2003 and 23.7 per cent in 2000," he said.

Mr Hawkins said the figures were particularly pleasing when compared with other parts of the state sector. For example, State Services Commission figures for the year to 30 June 2003 show an average staff turnover rate for the public service of 11 per cent.

Mr Hawkins said interest in a career in the police continued to be strong. As at 6 April this year, 140 recruits were waiting to be called to Porirua's Royal New Zealand Police College to begin training, compared with 90 at the same time in 2003.

At 9750 New Zealand police numbers have never been higher, with 7445 sworn police and 2260 non-sworn police staff as at 31 March 2004.

Currently, sworn police include 1144 women, or 15.4 per cent of total sworn police numbers, with 1535 women employed in non-sworn roles. Male sworn police number 6301 and non-sworn 725.

Police identifying as Maori make up 11 per cent of sworn and non-sworn staff, while 4 per cent identified as being from Pacific Island backgrounds. Sworn officers range in age from 18 years six months and increasingly come from a range of ethnic backgrounds.

© Scoop Media