Party vow over police assault rise

Labour leader Andrew Little says he has been horrified by an increase in assaults on police and says his party would address the causes if elected.

Figures provided by the Labour Party leader showed the number of attacks on officers in Taranaki rose by 33 per cent in the 12 months to June 2016, from 33 in 2015 to 44.

The rise was part of an overall increase in crime in the region and nationally, which Little said Labour would look to eliminate with a number of different strategies if elected in 2017.

National’s Jonathan Young said it was obviously a concern if there had been an increase in assaults. ‘‘Any assault on police is an assault on law and order in our society,’’ Young said.

Little, who said he would announce whether he will stand in the New Plymouth electorate again in 2017 in the next week or so, has already promised to put an extra 1000 police on the beat in his first term.

He said he believed the rise in attacks on officers was the result of a combination of factors, including attending more drug-related offending. ‘‘I think it’s a pretty horrifying figure.

‘‘Overall it relates to the fact some of the crimes they are attending now are people who are off their faces on drugs, most likely P.’’

He said under the National government police had been inadequately resourced.

‘‘I don’t think that there is any question about that they’ve let the police down and in so doing, they’ve let the community down too.

‘‘They’ve got a tough job to do and they’ve got to be able to do it and they’ve got to know both the police administration, the government and the law offers protection for them if they come under attack.’’

Little said he believed the econ- omic downturn had also played its part. ‘‘It never excuses criminal conduct but sometimes it explains it.’’

A Labour regional development strategy, valued at $200 million nationally, would encourage private investment for significant infrastructure projects, generate new jobs and better incomes which would help address the issue, he said.

‘‘That’s a vital part of our economic plan.

‘‘The way it operates is for local authorities in a region to work together to identify infrastructure investment that will make a difference to that region.’’

Little said the initiative would help to create strong communities where people didn’t need to resort to crime.

Young said National had already taken measures to increase police capacity.

‘‘The digitisation of the police force, in terms of the ability to do what was their paper work on a digital platform, has freed them up hundreds of thousands of hours a year.

‘‘So we actually have far more hours that the police are able to be engaging with the public and outside of the station than ever before.’’

He said National had changed the law to make attacks on police a more serious offence.

There had also been positive and encouraging signs in the region’s economy.

‘‘That will have its positive effects, when people have work and employment they tend to have a far better respect for others and more focus in their lives.’’

Taranaki crime statistics for the year ended June 30, 2016 ❚ assaults up 183 cases or 18% (total of 1,016 assaults a year) ❚ sexual assault up 36 cases or 26% (total of 138.4 sex assaults a year) ❚ robbery and extortion up 12 cases or 29% (total of 41.3 cases a year) ❚ burglary up 162 cases or 17% (total of 952 cases a year) ❚ thefts up 132 or 6% (total of 2,200)