Extra police to help clear Manukau case backlog

Eight police officers have been brought in to help clear hundreds of files waiting to be investigated in the Counties Manukau district.

Police Minister George Hawkins recently revealed that 1134 files, including several rape complaints, were waiting to be investigated.

Parliament was yesterday told four officers were transferred to the district on Monday and a further four would join them next week.

The staff were from the Waikato and North Shore/Waitakere police districts.

The Waikato district had no cases waiting for investigation, according to a list of unallocated files released by Mr Hawkins early this month.

North Shore/Waitakere was listed as having 266 files but Mr Hawkins later said they had been allocated to police teams.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff yesterday said Counties Manukau had already cleared 200 of the unassigned files before the extra officers started.

Police expected to "significantly reduce" the backlog within two months, he said, answering questions on behalf of Mr Hawkins.

National MP Tony Ryall claimed the Counties Manukau district had requested three times the number of additional staff and wanted them to spend three months in the district.

Mr Goff said the staffing decision was made by the commissioner in consultation with the district commander, Superintendent Steve Shortland.

Mr Shortland last night told the Herald he never requested a particular number of staff and he was grateful to the districts who were able to supply the investigators.

"With eight people working fulltime, that gives us a fairly good chance to at least get rid of the high priority files."

Mr Shortland said the number of unallocated files changed from day to day but "it's still pretty much around that number [1100]".

He was not sure where Mr Goff had learned 200 files had been cleared.

"It certainly hasn't come from myself or any of our investigations managers here," he said.

Mr Shortland would not be drawn on whether more permanent staff in his district would prevent any future backlogs.

"The problem is that when serious crime occurs and we have to pull investigators off files to put onto those investigations, that is what causes us the problems," he said.

"If we have a period of time clear from major investigations then we can make quite big inroads [into waiting files].