Press Release from Toa Greening, Peoples Choice.
1 June 2007

65 Missing Police

Manukau City election ticket Peoples Choice has launched a petition to find Manukau’s 65 missing police. Peoples Choice Council candidate for Papatoetoe and current Community Board member Toa Greening says that it’s about time Manukau was given its fair share of policing resources.

In a petition to Police Minister Annette King, Peoples Choice is calling for Manukau police numbers to be brought up to the average police/population of the rest of New Zealand. “It’s disgraceful enough that the people of Manukau have to endure higher crime rates than the rest of the country. Rates for burglaries, violence, drug use, sexual assault are all higher in Manukau than anywhere else in New Zealand” said Mr Greening.

“But it’s absolutely shameful that our police numbers are so well below the average for the country”.

“If the New Zealand police ratios were applied to the Counties Manukau police district, we would have 785 sworn police officers as opposed to the current 720”.

“The Counties Manukau police to a tremendous job, but they need more support from central government”

Peoples Choice is also calling on Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis and other Councillors to come out publicly in support of the petition. "All of our elected City leaders need to unite on this very important issue" said Mr Greening.

“To date Dick Quax is the only Councilor to have come out in support”

Peoples Choice is contesting most Council and Community Board positions across Manukau City at this year’s local body elections. In February it selected Councillor Quax as its Mayoral candidate.

The petition is available on-line at www.peopleschoice.org.nz

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