Police Assn’s move ‘a risk’

Press, 23 July 1987, Page 18

Police Assn’s move ‘a risk’

PA Wellington The Police Association is risking its relationship with the Labour Government by joining the Coalition of Concerned Citizens in a campaign for more police staff, the Minister of Police says. The Police Association, a police union, “must surely realise that the coalition is seen increasingly as violently anti-the Labour Government,” Mrs Hercus said.

“The coalition, for example, opposes the Government’s anti-nuclear policy, opposes human relations education in schools, opposes GST, opposes the Ministry of Women’s Affairs.” Mrs Hercus said the coalition was known to have close links with several National Party candi-

dates, and had a “hit list” of members of Parliament, almost exclusively from the Labour Party, which it wanted to target in the election campaign. “I was therefore very surprised and deeply concerned that the Police Association should choose, during an election campaign, to be closely associated with what is generally regarded to be an anti-Government and very Right-wing fundamentalist group.”

Mrs Hercus said the association risked damaging the reputation of the police for serving any Government in an evenhanded way. Many people did not understand the difference between the police administration and the police union, she. said.