National should take the blame for more than 200 police officers leaving the force over the last eight months, says Labour’s Police spokesperson Kris Faafoi.
“There are 219 fewer police officers now than there were at the end of June last year.
“This government talks a big game on law and order, but clearly doesn’t play one.
“It has failed to back frontline officers with resources and some of our top cops have walked as a result.
“Continued belt tightening has put our police officers under increasing pressure to do much more, with much less.
“Funding cutbacks have also meant the Police College in Porirua has only trained half the number of police recruits that it did in 2011.
“The realities of Anne Tolley’s Budget cuts are kicking in. With fewer recruits coming through and a loss of institutional knowledge, our police force is looking thin on the ground.
“The even sadder reality is that the Minister is unlikely to go into bat for them in this week’s Budget,” Kris Faafoi said.
