Government blamed for loss of confidence in police

Tony Ryall

Opposition MPs are blaming the Government rather than police for failings in the institution following a survey showing a big hit in public confidence in the force.

The survey comes after yesterday's revelations that 330 police are under investigation for viewing porn on their work computers.

Police were already under fire over a series of bungled 111 calls which are now under review.

Police have also received bad press over treatment of prisoners in Auckland described as part of a "sick" culture, and other historical claims now before a Commission of Inquiry into police conduct.

Today National's police spokesman Tony Ryall said he had confidence in Police Commissioner Rob Robinson resolving the porn problem but blamed the drop in confidence -- down 25 per cent in three years in a NBR-Phillips Fox poll today -- on the Government.

"In my view (this) is a vote of no confidence in the Government's handling of crime rather than a vote of no confidence in our good policemen and women," he told National Radio.

New Zealand First's Ron Mark ran running the same line.

"We are faced with an incompetent minister and a government whose failure to provide adequate resources for the police lies at the heart of this problem," he said.

Police Minister George Hawkins said Mr Robinson wanted higher standards but refused to accept the problems were the Government's fault.

"I think in the end the police themselves must look at the perception," he told National Radio.

Mr Hawkins said he was pleased Mr Robinson was "taking a stand" over the porn cases and ensuring police did the job they were paid for.

"We've heard about a lack of resources but police have never been resourced so well. But of course when you see resources being abused it doesn't make it any easier."

Mr Ryall said National was not attacking police but was focused on the Government and its priorities.

"The public still has great faith in individual policemen and women, they're good family people who do their best for their communities," he said.

"But what they don't have faith in any more is the Government with these wrong priorities -- quota ticketing/revenue gathering at the expense of responding to emergencies -- these are the things that have shaken the faith in the institution of policing.

Mr Mark said police needed to be better resourced and said some officers were "disillusioned" because they had no support in their crime-fighting duties.

"If this is allowed to continue, we run the risk of losing valuable experienced officers," he said.

"There is a need for a change in focus away from the myopic quota ticketing and towards the investigation of serious and violent crime, burglary and the burgeoning methamphetamine industry."

Mr Hawkins said negative stories about police belied their performance.

"The reality is we now have the lowest crime rate in over 20 years, we've got the second lowest road toll in 40 years, the police are doing a good job," he said.

"Yes there are some people who haven't behaved but most people realise the police are good people doing a good job."

Mr Hawkins said 111 cases such as the Iraena Asher affair, which he admits was handled badly, and historical allegations had impacted on confidence.

"There's a lot more good reasons people should have confidence in the police."

He said police were not under-resourced.

"Police have always done well under this government," he said but would not say if there was more money in next month's budget.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Helen Clark told National Radio she believed the porn matter would be well-handled by police management.

"I do have confidence in the commissioner sorting the matter out and addressing the police culture issues," she said.

"I think the way in which the commission of inquiry into police culture has been re-formatted will also help with that.

"Obviously it's of concern that people in whom we place trust could be using the internet in this way and its important it be dealt with."

The inquiry's scope was changed to focus only on how police responded to historic allegations against members of the force and whether the people making them were treated appropriately so it would not impact on current court cases.

Mr Ryall did not comment on the changes.

- NZPA