Desperate Phil Goff making stuff up

Phil Goff is making things up by claiming Police plan to freeze recruiting next year, National Law and Order Spokeswoman Judith Collins says.

"Two days out from the election, Phil Goff is so desperate he is plucking statements from thin air," Ms Collins said. "There is categorically no plan to put a freeze on Police recruiting next year.

"Police will recruit and train new officers next year, as normal. However, low numbers of police leaving the force means there will be a delay in the call-up of the first Wing of 2012 only.

The Police College at Porirua trains several recruit Wings of new officers each year. This year has been particularly busy, Ms Collins says.

"It has been full house at the Police College in recent months as the last of the 600 extra frontline Police promised by National complete their training.

"The new frontline officers, and the rest of the force, are doing a great job bringing down and preventing crime.

"In the fiscal year to June, crime was down almost 7 per cent per head of population around the country.

"New Zealand is now the safest it has been in many years, our prison population has had its biggest drop in decades, people are starting to feel safer in their communities and confidence in the Police is increasing.

"When Labour was in office violent crime was up, serious, violent offenders were given parole to commit more crime, and our prisons were filled to capacity.

"National is making good progress in making New Zealand a safer place. I appreciate Phil Goff is feeling desperate, but there's no need to go around making stuff up."

Authorised by G Hamilton, Level 2, 262 Thorndon Quay, Wellington

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