Tony Ryall National Police Spokesperson

25 September 2001

Police recruitment in disarray

The Government's police recruitment programme is in disarray with one of this year's two remaining recruitment wings deferred until next year, National's Police Spokesman Tony Ryall said today.

"This means it will take even longer to get desperately needed new policemen and women onto the streets."

National understands that there was to be a wing of some 80 recruits starting at Police College next week. However, this number has now been cut to 60 and the wing will not start until mid-November.

What's more, the recruitment wing scheduled for mid-November will now commence in mid-January.

National understands the Police are having trouble filling these wings despite a million-dollar advertising campaign.

The last three recruitment wings to undergo training have had less than the target 60 recruits that were planned for each.

"Frontline police vacancies total some 375 throughout New Zealand. With another wing deferred and increased resignations likely because of the Police Amendment Bill, Mr Hawkins is making a complete hash of the job.

"Throughout New Zealand police are calling for more frontline staff. As long as there's an incompetent in the Police Minister's chair who thinks he can run the police better than the professionals, people won't want to serve," Mr Ryall said.

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