Hon Tony Ryall MP National Party Law & Order Spokesman

29 August 2005

Hawkins must shoulder blame for recruit shortage

National Party Law and Order spokesman Tony Ryall says George Hawkins must shoulder a good deal of the blame for the shortage of police recruits.

"Labour has shattered public confidence in the police. They have blamed frontline officers for Ministerial mistakes, and then they wonder why people aren't signing up," says Mr Ryall.

He is commenting on reports in this morning's New Zealand Herald which
suggest one Police College intake has had so few people sign up that it may be canned.

"Nobody wants to become a revenue collector for the Labour Government. Nobody wants to carry the can for the Prime Minister when she speeds through the South Island.

"Mr Hawkins only has himself to blame. After spending the past six years papering over the cracks in the police frontline, Labour's chickens are now coming home to roost.

"There doesn't need to be a recruitment shortage: the solution is to get rid of the ning-nong who is Minister of Police and provide stronger leadership, put more emphasis on crime fighting instead of revenue gathering, and ensure the justice system backs up the police by keeping criminals in jail for longer.

"I have no doubt that these things together will restore public confidence and recruitment interest. "A change of government will fix the recruitment issue," says Mr Ryall.

ENDS

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