Commissioner’s driver among cuts

Press, 29 August 1989, Page 3

Commissioner’s driver among cuts

By

PETER LUKE

in Wellington

The Commissioner of Police, Mr John Jamieson, has lost his own driver, as part of a restructuring of National Police Headquarters that will mean a net loss of 31 positions. The reorganisation, part of the police’s loss of 267 positions, will cut 43 existing positions at the headquarters. Another seven positions will go later, but will be partly balanced by creating 19 new jobs to enhance financial and personnel management. Mr Jamieson yesterday said the loss of his driver set an example — that his own staff should not be spared the cuts occurring

elsewhere in the department.

He would not expect, however, to drive himself in motorcades during next year’s Royal Tour.

Headquarters must lose 31 positions — 15 police and 16 civilians — from its existing establishment of 336 by June 30, next year.

The effect of this loss could be muted because headquarters is now 34 staff below its former authorised strength. Among the jobs to be created are a finance general manager, a planning manager and an equal employment opportunities officer. Mr Jamieson said the new structure was vital to

comply with Government policies and to manage efficiently in the new corporate environment. Mr Jamieson said the staff cuts would mean no redundancies and no forced regional transfers. Frontline policing would be affected, but the level of policing for the Commonwealth Games or the Royal Tour would not be reduced.

Efforts had been made to minimise the effect of the cuts on police services, through redistributing staff and through rostering. Mr Jamieson could not suggest precise areas where frontline policing might suffer, saying the effects of the cuts had been spread as widely as

possible. The Opposition police spokesman, Mr John Banks, said the new Minister of Police, Mr Douglas, had failed his first

test in not convincing the Cabinet to put police cuts on hold. Mr Douglas accused Mr Banks of making cheap political capital out of the issue. He said the police were seeking big improvements in the quality of their management and operations. “These improvements will play a critical role in improving personal security and quality of life in communities throughout New Zealand,” Mr Douglas said. “Mr Banks would have the public believe that the only way forward in this or any other area is throwing money at our problems. Yet he would be the first to oppose higher taxation.”