24 November 2010

Media Statement

National puts on 30 more cops in almost two years

Police confirmed at select committee today that National has funded only 30 extra police officers from the time it entered office until the end of September this year, says Labour’s Law and Order spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.

“For month after month Police Minister Judith Collins has boasted that National is putting 600 more frontline police on the streets during its three-year term, and denied that over 300 of these were funded by the previous Labour Government,” Clayton Cosgrove said.

“The truth was finally confirmed at today’s Law and Order select committee.

“Till the end of September, almost two years after coming into office, National had funded just 30 new frontline police staff. Not 400 two-thirds of the way through its term. Not 300. Not 200. Not 100. Not even 50. They had funded just 30.

“The only new frontline police funded in that period apart from the 30 came out of the third tranche of the total of 1000 frontline police recruited and funded under the Labour-NZ First confidence and supply agreement.

“Judith Collins is the Minister of Photo Opportunities who likes to portray herself as the defender of community safety,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “The reality is that violence has gone up under National, and frontline officers are becoming increasingly stressed and feeling threatened.

“Under National almost all the extra police will go into Counties Manukau, the Minister’s home patch. Most of the rest of New Zealand will see fewer police. That’s the Collins legacy to community safety.”

ENDS

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