Burglary is a low
risk career and will become even more popular if the
Government proceeds with cuts to CIB staff numbers in
Wellington, Labour police spokesperson George Hawkins said
today.
"I have been warning for months that the national
police review - a cost-cutting exercise by a National
Government desperate to claw back some of the costs of the
Incis debacle - would have a devastating effect on the
Wellington region.
"Sworn police numbers in the Wellington
City area have reduced by 20 percent since 1998 and now the
Criminal Investigation Branch could be cut in half.
"There
simply won't be enough detectives to investigate all the
cases. Crimes like burglary will be noted, filed and never
followed up.
"Already just 7 percent of burglaries in
Wellington are solved. That percentage is set to fall even
further.
"National's cost-cutting will deny the police
the ability to respond to 'minor' crime and will leave the
people of Wellington without the protection they deserve,"
George Hawkins said.
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