Hon Anne Tolley
Minister of Police

31 January 2013 Media Statement

Police deserve praise – that’s a fact

Police Minister Anne Tolley says Labour is once again trying to mislead the public over Police resources.

“Their spokesman has claimed that there are 57 fewer Police Communications Centre staff than in 2009, but this is completely false. There are, in fact, fifty additional staff,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Figures supplied to the Law and Order Select Committee Financial Review clearly show that in 2012 the average number of staff in these centres increased from 508 in 2009 to 558 in 2012.

“Not only that - by the end of June this year there will be an extra 42 staff in place as part of the expanded Crime Reporting Line.

“So either Labour don’t understand the figures, or they are deliberately trying to mislead the public by selecting figures which don’t tell the true story.

“The Police just don’t deserve to be continually undermined and treated as a political football by Labour.

“Communications Centre staff work extremely hard and last week answered 96 per cent of 111 emergency calls within ten seconds.

“They deserve huge praise for the service they provide to the public.

“I back the Police to continue preventing and tackling crime despite cheap and false attempts at trying to score political points.

“Crime rates are falling and communities are safer thanks to the Police. That might be hard for Labour to swallow, but they’ll just have to face facts.”

ENDS

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