Police Minister Signs Off Funding To Recruit 600-700 New Police

The Minister of Police, George Hawkins, has signed off initial funding for an advertising campaign designed to attract between 600 and 700 new police recruits by 30 June 2002.

Mr Hawkins said the new recruitment campaign, which begins on Friday, will particularly target women, Maori, Pacific Island and Asian peoples.

"It is essential that the Police reflect the makeup of our community" said Mr Hawkins. "We have set optimum targets for each of those minority groups and I am looking forward to seeing how this campaign improves their representation."

"In the term of this Government we have seen crime drop and resolutions improve. I am determined to see pressure kept on crooks and with these new recruits the New Zealand Police will be stronger than ever" said Mr Hawkins.

The next wing of 60 Police recruits is due to enter the Police College next week.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>