Details of reshuffle for police

Press, 14 January 1987, Page 3

Details of reshuffle for police

PA Wellington Ten police districts, including Wellington, will have their staff numbers cut to increase numbers in six other districts, a police headquarters spokesman said yesterday. The redistribution involves 43 staff and will boost police numbers in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Christchurch, said Chief Superintendent Emmett Mitten, head of personnel. The 10 districts to lose staff, along with Police National Headquarters and the Royal New Zealand Police College, will suffer losses of between 1.7 and 2.25 per cent. Wellington’s staff falls by 16, the biggest drop, from 831, a decrease of 1.9 per cent. Mr Mitten said the six districts to benefit have been identified as having operational or other priorities, particularly during outbreaks of serious crime. The 43 staff will be used on an ad hoc basis to maintain the strength of the six districts. The formula was only a

fall-back if the six districts got near or below their authorised strength, Mr Mitten said. All districts were now running over strength. “It does not mean staff will be transferred out of districts and put somewhere else. We want to spread the load evenly with a slight bias in favour of those six districts,” he said". If there were shortfalls in those districts or if a district was under serious pressure, other districts would carry them through. It was possible the formula may never be needed.

However, the Opposition leader, Mr Bolger, said the redistribution highlighted the Government’s lack of commitment to getting on top of crime.

“Merely juggling an already inadequate number of police officers will not stop the spiralling crime rate. The only solution is an increase in police resources over all,” he said. The Dunedin police will lose four positions to other areas.