By Bill Hickman of RNZ
The Government’s Budget funding for 500 new frontline police will actually result in only 300 extra cops on the beat, the Police Association says.
More than $220 million will go to funding an additional 500 constabulary officers but that boost would come at the cost of 175 “corporate support” staff, the Budget outlined.
On Budget day, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster emailed staff expressing his delight at the Government’s commitment to the growth in frontline roles.
“We will be funded for 10,711 fulltime constables, replacing any officers who leave during this time and growing by 500 more constables,” Coster wrote. That compared to the numbers in place on November 27, 2023, when the Government was formed, he said.
But following the announcement, Police Association president Chris Cahill told members that the boost in police numbers was an illusion.
“Whilst extra staff are welcome, the net gain is not 500. The commissioner’s announcement was 500 more than the pure constabulary fulltime equivalent they had [on November 27, 2023]...,” Cahill wrote.
“In November 2023, NZ Police were about 200 down on their funded constabulary Resource Allocation Target so the 500 extra should more accurately be viewed as 300 extra.”
He also said the 175 positions sacrificed to meet the Government’s directive for $55m in savings would come on top a previously enacted hiring freeze that had left nearly 200 positions vacant.
“The association understands this is in addition to over 200 vacant police employee positions arising from the recruitment freeze, many of which police may permanently disestablish,” Cahill said.
Cahill told his members the association had requested information to help support staff during the process, including seeking clarification of the definition “corporate support”, specifics as to what vacant positions were likely to be disestablished and what programmes or projects would be halted or cancelled in the drive to achieve the savings.
Cahill acknowledged how difficult the current uncertainty would be for members and said the police had advised consultation documents on the changes would become available in August.
He said the association’s goal was to stand in support of its members and to ensure the process was followed fairly.
The police have been approached for comment.
A frontline police officer – who did not want to be named – said there was uncertainty about how the cuts to “corporate support” staff would impact their work.
“There’s been no clarification from police as to what the definition of ‘corporate support’ is and what roles will fall out of scope of that term,” they said.
There were concerns that staff who directly supported frontline police by helping with tasks such as processing court files, attending to the counters in the country’s police stations or helping with investigations could be among the roles to go, he said.
“Everyone’s really busy and there’s people who do outstanding jobs in supporting us and taking that workload off us. If those roles go away then that work will still have to be done and most likely by frontline staff,” he said.
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