37 police properties sold under Labour - Minister

Police Minister Judith Collins says 37 police properties - 34 residential - were sold under Labour. Photo / Greg Bowker

Thirty-seven police properties were sold between 1999 and 2008, including 34 residential properties, figures released by Police Minister Judith Collins show.

Police suggested the sale of further stations and houses during the line-by-line review required before the budget, Ms Collins said.

However, the Government has said it will not sell operational stations or houses.

Police identified savings of $14.2 million in 2009/2010 and received $182.5m to increase the number of police in the budget.

"It's not my practise to stop the police from making suggestions and I have said to them that I want them to put forward ideas, even ideas I don't agree with," Ms Collins said.

"Police stations will not be sold under this Government.

"In fact, we're actually opening a new one on Friday."

The police property portfolio was reviewed in 2001, 2006 and twice in 2007 and 37 properties were sold under the previous Labour government, Ms Collins told Parliament today.

A list of those properties shows 34 listed as residential properties or houses, two old stations, two Community Police Centres and a storage facility.

Many of the properties sold were in rural areas, including Inglewood, Gore and Hawera, Ms Collins said.

"The public can rest assured I won't be compromising their right to a well-governed, effectively-policed country."

Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove said Labour built 34 new police stations during its time in Government.

"Judith Collins is fixated on putting new cops into her home patch of South Auckland and hardly anywhere else.

"No wonder other communities around the country are beginning to feel more threatened as this Government's cuts begin to bite."

Police general manager of finance and planning Bruce Simpson said police identified $5.5m in ongoing savings and a one off saving of $8.7m.

Other savings being considered by police were internal measures, he said.

"Police have focused on savings efforts into areas that have least impact on front line services, ensuring high visibility policing is maintained and a focus on the rights of victims."

- NZPA