Where we will get an extra 1800 police

The Government is setting its sights on wiping out Northland’s ‘‘methamphetamine scourge’’ by increasing the region’s policing numbers by 25 per cent.

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Mike Bush announced increased officer numbers of between 13 and 27 per cent across 12 policing districts, based on factors including population growth, offending patterns and local priorities for crime prevention.

It showed a concerted effort to increase police presence in the regions, something the coalition Government has been promising since it took power.

The Labour-NZ First coalition agreement promises to ‘‘strive towards’’ 1800 extra police in the next three years.

Police Minister Stuart Nash has been clear this was an ‘‘ambitious’’ target, but one he believed he could meet, and was continuing to work towards.

Yesterday he said the rollout was fully funded over five years but the coalition hoped to deliver on its promise ‘‘absolutely earlier, if we can’’.

Nash said the counter started on June 30, last year, with a baseline figure of 8778 and, for the first time, police had 9000 officers.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said this was the single biggest investment in policing history.

The extra 1800 police officers represented an increase in police constabulary numbers of about 20 per cent, with a further 485 civilian staff providing back office support, he said.

The 25 per cent increase of police in Northland would help ‘‘combat the methamphetamine scourge and improve safety in our communities’’.

Meanwhile, provincial towns throughout Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatu¯ would gain between 17 and 27 per cent more officers.

And 264 new officers will be stationed in rural and urban towns throughout the South Island.

Nash said the allocation plan allowed police to make real inroads into crime prevention in order to reduce victimisation, lower reoffending and bring down imprisonment rates.

‘‘Our neighbourhoods want a greater uniformed presence to prevent and respond to burglaries and aggravated robberies, family harm and child protection, road policing and civil emergencies,’’ he said.

‘‘Our communities want to know police have the tools they need to fight the threat from organised crime.

‘‘Police need resources to investigate and disrupt transnational drug smuggling, child sex exploitation, cyber-crime and money laundering. That is what we will deliver.’’

Bush said the extra officers ‘‘will really enhance our work to keep people safe, and ensure they feel safe’’.

‘‘I am delighted to confirm that all 12 policing districts will receive a significant boost over the next few years,’’ Bush said.

‘‘This will enable police to increase our visibility and presence across the country. Today’s allocation will significantly build our frontline capability, and lift the level of policing services we deliver to both our urban and regional communities.

‘‘This will result in more crime prevention activity and improve police’s ability to respond, investigate and resolve crime – including a focus on reducing reoffending.

The new staff will also support our effort to reduce death and injury on our roads.’’

Bush said district commanders were now starting further work to determine deployment decisions at an area and station level.

The allocation announcement comes as the Government launches its criminal justice summit – the next step in its planned overhaul of the justice system.

In Budget 2018, Nash received $298.8m in new operating funding, and $17.8m capital for the police over the next four years. In addition, $159.7m of new funding is provided in 2022-23.

In May, Nash said a failure to deliver 1800 extra cops by 2020 would not be due to funding. If the Government came up short it meant the logistics, and the effort to train 3000 people over three years was ‘‘a little bit too much’’, he said.

The Government had been clear about its priorities to increase community policing, and tackling methamphetaminerelated crime.

National Party police spokesman Chris Bishop said yesterday’s allocation announcement was ‘‘another example of spin over substance’’.

‘‘This is hardly the ‘biggest increase in police resources’ ever as Mr Nash claims,’’ Bishop said.

‘‘Today’s allocation will significantly build our frontline capability, and lift the level of policing services we deliver to both our urban and regional communities.’’ Police Commissioner Mike Bush