EASTERN District Police this week was given just one new recruit, and Police Minister and Napier MP Stuart Nash acknowledges that still leaves the region under-resourced.
On Thursday, 40 new recruits celebrated graduating from the Royal NZ Police College, before being deployed across six police districts.
While nearly half of those went to Wellington, Eastern District was given just one.
When asked why more were not sent here, Mr Nash, a long-standing critic of the previous government's resourcing of the region, said he did not have a say in were recruits were sent.
"Police have operational independence from the government which means ministers cannot direct the Police Commissioner on operational matters such as deployment.
"I acknowledge Eastern District is currently under resourced, as are other districts around the country. This government is going to increase the resources available to Police.