Mt Roskill win confirms public desire for extra police
Mt Roskill win confirms public desire for extra police – McVicar
4th December 2016
The Founder of the
Sensible Sentencing Trust says Labours overwhelming win in
the Mt Roskill by-election proves once and for all that
public safety is an issue people are prepared to stand up
and vote for.
Sensible Sentencing Trust [SST] founded by
Garth McVicar in 2001 as a justice watchdog has become
synonymous with public safety and has been responsible for
many changes in the law and order / public safety
arena.
McVicar says the ultimate crime fighting / public
safety tool is the bobby-on-the-street and SST will support
any policy from any political party that has public safety
as its core principle.
McVicars comments come after Labour
leader Andrew Little made a promise to boost Labours original promise of 1000 extra
police with an additional commitment to reopen community
police kiosks. Labour's police spokesman Stuart Nash
said there could be as many as six kiosks in a community
like Mt Roskill.
Mr Nash said, "Where crime prevention
happens is actually in the community. So in the Mt Roskill
electorate for example there are six distinct shopping areas
and what I think should happen is every single one of those
shopping areas there should be a kiosk. And in every one of
those shopping areas there should be a policeman based...not
necessarily sitting there, but supported by a volunteer, and
getting out and about, talking to people, and just getting
to know the community."
McVicar said SST was thrilled to hear these comments. “Over the years various political parties have cut police numbers and funding and have put police under enormous pressure resulting in more crime and serious threat to public safety so we are very pleased to see that police numbers are now catching the attention of opposition parties.”
“I also note that New Zealand First have said they will increase police numbers by 1800 additional front line coppers.”
“The real heartening
thing for SST as a justice watchdog / victim advocacy
organisation is that people are obviously prepared to vote
on law and order and public safety – and this was just a
by-election – but it lays the foundation for the main
election next year.”
ENDS