Govt plan for 1800 extra cops

matters are made by NZ Police, not the minister.

However, Labour, NZ First, the Green Party and police were all on the same page with priorities and strategy, he said.

Training for that first tranche of additional cops was just about to begin, and in an effort to draw in more recruits, police were trialling a new training facility in Auckland.

It would be the first time since the 1970s that Kiwi cops would not be trained at the Porirua training college. But it was an acknowledgement not everyone could pack up their lives and move to the Wellington region for 16 weeks.

The Auckland training course would be slightly longer, as the recruits would not live onsite.

Nash said the Auckland course was not created because Porirua did not have capacity, it was an effort to get a range of people, from different areas, and different backgrounds included.

The coalition agreement also promised the Government would look into the establishment of a volunteer police force.

Nash said he has had an initial briefing on this, but no decisions had been made.

The priority was to get the extra frontline officers into communities, and see the impact that had, before considering whether volunteers could play a part.