Drug-fighting boost 'just drop in ocean'

By HELEN TUNNAH

Flying squads to clean up clandestine drugs laboratories and take DNA samples from crime scenes will be set up with new funding announced in the Budget.

The Government also has promised 50 more police for Auckland, where shortages are acute.

However, while police officers welcome the extra staff and crime teams, they say the resources are a drop in the ocean of what is needed.

"It is hardly going to leave Auckland awash in a sea of blue," Police Association president Greg O'Connor said last night.

Police Minister George Hawkins said yesterday that $6.6 million would be spent on setting up two teams, one in Auckland and one in Wellington, to clean up potentially dangerous clandestine methamphetamine laboratories.

The teams of seven will be trained in working with hazardous chemicals and will clear laboratories being used for making the illegal drug.

Mr O'Connor welcomed the inclusion in the Budget of specific funding to tackle the methamphetamine problem, saying the asociation had sought it for seven years.

Anecdotal evidence in Auckland suggested the problem was now so severe, and cleanup resources so limited, that police almost dreaded finding a laboratory.

The Herald has been told of police guarding laboratories for up to three days until stretched specialists can attend to clear any hazards. There are fewer than three Institute of Environmental, Science and Research staff for such work in the Auckland region, with cleanups also involving the Fire Service.

Just six manufacturing laboratories were found nationally in 1999. Last year 147 were uncovered.

Mr Hawkins said the laboratories posed a significant risk to the public.

"Premises used to manufacture methamphetamine often become contaminated by chemicals, as can surrounding areas," he said.

"This exposes anyone subsequently using the buildings to serious health risks if the premises are not thoroughly cleaned."

The new teams should be operating by the start of next year.

Mr Hawkins also said $13.1 million would be spent over four years on policing resources in Auckland, including the 50 extra frontline staff, plus the new DNA teams and the city's laboratory cleanup team.

An extra 25 police and investigating staff would be hired in the 2004 financial year, and 25 the year after.

Another nine staff would be employed in three specialist mobile DNA squads for Auckland, which would cost $7.26 million to run over four years. They would be available to take samples at crime scenes and from offenders in cells.

Mr O'Connor asked whether boosting the number of DNA samples from crime scenes would be matched by more resourcing for the Crown agency whose staff process samples.

There was no extra money for ESR in the Budget.

Mr Hawkins said the mobile DNA teams were expected to take up to 3500 extra samples a year. Those samples could lead to 500 "hits", with each hit potentially helping to clear between five and 10 crimes a year.

Mr O'Connor said the funding boost was less than the rate of inflation. The Budget was disappointing for frontline police and crime victims.

Lab busts

Methamphetamine labs found by police

* 1999 - 6

* 2000 - 9

* 2001 - 41

* 2002 - 147