Labour promises $25m a year to bolster community police

Labour has opened its chequebook for another election pledge, promising $25 million a year to double the number of community police.

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday announced the party's fifth election pledge that will boost the number of community police by 250 over the next three years.

Helen Clark said community police were the visible face of policing.

"The public want a visible police presence on the streets to provide confidence and reassurance that their local community is a safe place for their family to live in."

The 250 extra community police, which will cost $12.5 million next year and $25 million a year thereafter, is in addition to the 265 new police positions promised in the Budget.

Helen Clark's speech at the Glenfield community centre yesterday focused heavily on Labour's success in law and order over its two terms in Government.

She said Labour had invested heavily in police numbers and resources, boosting the number of sworn officers by 550 and the total number of police staff by more than 1100 since 1999. The crime rate was 21 per cent lower than in 1996 and the crime resolution rate had improved from 36 per cent in 1996 to 44 per cent last year.

The Prime Minister carefully avoided the numerous high-profile problems that have plagued the police during Labour's time in Government.

In May a scathing report, initiated after a series of failures with the 111 system, including the case of Auckland student Iraena Asher, said the emergency service was putting the public at potential risk.

Other problems that have eroded the public's confidence have been the pornographic email scandal, having one of the force's most senior commanders and two former policemen facing sex charges, and an inquiry into police culture.

There has also been ongoing criticism from opposition MPs, and sometimes from within the force.

The police have been forced to focus on revenue-gaining activities, such as handing out speeding tickets, at the expense of solving and preventing crime.

The Police Association says there is a dangerous lack of front-line police and has been running a campaign called "Fund the Frontline" to get 540 extra police in the next two years.

Yesterday association president Greg O'Connor said the increase of community police was commendable, but the lack of frontline staff needed to be addressed first.

If frontline staff were not increased the community constables would be used to fill the gap and would be forced to respond to emergencies at the expense of their community policing duties.

Police Commissioner Rob Robinson said he could not comment on a party's policy but said the police welcomed pledges of more resources.