KEY POINTS:
Police say it up to the courts to decide who gets electronic bail.
The National Party has slammed the system that allows people accused of serious offences to be released on electronic bail.
Since September last year courts have had the option of electronic monitoring as a bail condition for defendants remanded in custody and 18 accused have been released under it so far.
One man allegedly committed new serious offending including attempted murder and assaults while on bail.
Police opposed bail for 17 of the group who faced charges including manufacturing methamphetamine.
Under electronic bail, defendants wear an electronic bracelet that is monitored by a unit at the person's house. If they left the house for an unapproved reason, an alarm activates at a control centre and police are dispatched.
Police electronic bail manager Lindsay Talbot said it was up to the courts, not police to make the decision about bail.
"Judges make decisions about bail in alignment with the Bail Act and on the basis of the information available to them. They release on bail where they are satisfied that the defendant does not pose an undue risk to the community," he said.
"There are many situations where courts allow standard bail conditions against Police opposition.
"It is worthy also of note that not all defendants facing drug-related charges are remanded in custody in the first place by the Courts, when factors such as personal circumstances, seriousness of alleged offending or length of offending history are taken into account."
Mr Talbot said police electronic bail assessors rigorously assessed all applications and consideration was given to:
* the nature of the offending
* the likelihood of the defendant reoffending while on bail or absconding
* threat to the safety of the community
The police then put their view to the court.
Duty Minister Rick Barker referred queries about the issue to the police.
But National justice and corrections spokesman Simon Power said the Government was allowing people accused of serious offences out on bail instead of keeping them in custody.
"This Government's plan to cut prison numbers by widening the eligibility for electronic bail and home detention is resulting in people being in the community who would otherwise be held in prison."
- NZPA
