Many UK police recruits leaving

New figures show a large number of police recruited from the United Kingdom to work here have since quit and the National Party is querying the viability of the scheme.

Police in 2003 spent $50,000 on a United Kingdom recruitment drive, in conjunction with NZ Immigration, to meet a shortfall in local staff, mainly in the Auckland region, and 78 officers came to New Zealand.

Of those 78, 74 joined the force - however, only 51 of them are still working for the police, figures provided by NZ police show.

Some returned to the UK for "personal and family" reasons and others remained here as civilians.

Following interest from overseas it was decided to bring out another group last year and 97 officers have arrived in the country.

National Party police spokesman Simon Power said the scheme was not effective, as the attrition rate was so high.

"I think that long-term the project will be of minimal benefit. The attrition rate is much higher than from recruit wings from a similar period (about 6 per cent) and although it may have worked in the short-term to fill some gaps, its sustainability long-term in light of the promise for 1000 new police has got to be questionable." He questioned why there was such a high attrition rate.

"Is it because these UK officers didn't settle? Is it because they were oversold what would be available to them when they got here? Or is it simply the working environment didn't suit them?

"Those are questions that the new commissioner and the minister should be asking before they embark on further programmes to recruit if the long-term viability of such programmes is questionable."

Police Minister Annette King said some attrition was to be expected.

"That's only natural. Some of the recruits leave family and close friends behind, and it's not surprising, therefore, that some decide to return to the UK."

She said the majority had stayed.

Ms King said that under National numbers were cut and the Labour Government had added more than 1350 sworn and non-sworn staff in the past six years.

In answer to inquiries, the police released a statement saying the 97 new UK recruits would start a 10-week conversion course at the Royal New Zealand Police College on Monday.

There were 84 men and 13 women in the group from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

- NZPA