Govt stiffens law for police attacks

Senior Constable Bruce Mellor was attacked by a machete weilding teen in Taipahpe. Photo / Supplied

Assaulting a police or prison officer will be a mandatory aggravating factor at sentencing under a bill which passed its first reading in Parliament today.

Under current law it is left to the discretion of judges.

Police Minister Judith Collins, speaking on behalf of Justice Minister Simon Power, said assaults on police increased by nearly a third between 2005 and 2009 and assaults on prison officers more than doubled.

"The law does not require the victim's status as a police or corrections officer to be taken into account as an aggravating factor," she said.

"The Government believes that attacks on police and corrections officers, who are upholders of the law and protectors of the public, should be explicitly denounced in legislation."

Labour MP Carol Beaumont said her party would support the bill but didn't believe it would make any difference.

She said judges nearly always took it into account when sentencing and Ms Collins was overstating what it would achieve.

"The Sentencing Act says it can be taken into account, and this bill doesn't impose a specific sentence," she said.

"It's another meaningless piece of law and order legislation."

The Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill passed its first reading and was sent to the law and order select committee.

- NZPA