Shane Reti: Safety of person and property is vital for a harmonious and civilised society

This year's officer assault figures appear to be keeping track with last year's record. Photo / NZME

OPINION:

In my last column, I highlighted the concerns of Northland people around the growing number of ram-raids and burglaries of local businesses.

Ram-raids are up a staggering 500 per cent nationwide, and Northland is contributing to that appalling statistic. In the two weeks since writing that column, I have visited three more businesses that have been burgled, in Rust Ave, Oakleigh and Maunu Road. Enough is enough.

I have talked about the importance of equipping police with the tools they need to deter crime, and part of that toolbox involves keeping police officers safe so they can do their jobs.

Last week, I asked the Police Minister how many Northland police officers had been seriously assaulted per calendar year since the Labour Government took office.

The disturbing answer was that there has been a nine-fold increase in serious assaults on officers over the last five years.

The data is revealing, and it shows that blaming the increase on the pandemic would be disingenuous.

Serious assaults on Northland police officers were up five-fold, from eight to 41, in the two years before Covid even arrived!

Over the last five years, what has changed in Northland for the region to have experienced such a substantial increase in officer assaults?

Is there simply more crime, and these assaults have risen in line with other offences increasing? Frankly, that's not an argument we can tolerate, because the only acceptable number of assaults on officers is zero.

Is it, then, that the policy settings and signals that have been given to police are emboldening criminals and making our police more vulnerable?

I have already expressed my concerns that, under Labour, we have a soft-on-crime environment, and criminals are no longer being deterred from offending.

It's alarming that this year's officer assault figures are keeping track with last year's record, and we still have the high-policing-activity Christmas period to come.

Safety of person and property is vital for a harmonious and civilised society. Nearly every burgled business owner I spoke with in the past fortnight told me that we must be doing more to address crime and to hold people accountable.

Our brave and indispensable police officers deserve and need a government which backs them, empowers them and keeps them safe.