Extra Staff For Counties Manukau Police District

20 September 2006

Extra police from around the country have been brought into Counties Manukau to assist with the investigation into a number of serious crimes that have stretched staff in the district.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Operations, Roger Carson says Operation Assistance has been put in place to help investigate the current unusually high case load of serious crime and to allow Counties Manukau staff to "catch their breath."

Currently, 23 extra police are on a three week rotation.

The rotation is made up of detectives, detective sergeants and detective constables who are working on serious crime cases including the seven homicides that have happened over the past three months."

A second rotation of will replace them after three weeks.

"After the second rotation we will review the situation. However there is a need to manage the current workload and to manage a period of time where Counties Manukau staff can catch up on their leave"

A third and fourth rotation are a possibility, Mr Carson said.

"All districts have pulled together to help and are contributing staff to Operation Assistance which is greatly appreciated by PNHQ.

"In the 06/07 year, we expect to put 50 percent of the new police recruits - an injection of 355 new police into the Auckland district," Mr Carson says.

"But, at the moment we have an unusual situation in Counties Manukau where an unexpected leap in serious crime has required a more immediate solution.

ENDS

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