More non-police staff needed, says mayor

Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard says it may be time for police to expand their staff of non-sworn investigators as they struggle to keep pace with rising crime.

Last week a police report said in the Auckland City district alone 600 crimes were not being investigated because other offences took priority.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce boss Michael Barnett said police could use investigators other than police, such as accountants, to look at some crimes.

Mr Hubbard said the police already had a lot of non-commissioned staff and there was no reason that should not include some investigators.

"In the old days you had to have a blue uniform to lift a pencil. It makes sense with increased specialisation (in crime) to do that and leave the (sworn) police to do the front line stuff, the arresting and the tricky stuff."

Mr Hubbard said he would raise the issue with police at his next regular meeting with them.

"I am sympathetic to the idea of using assistance. It is far better to do that and get the job done than to have a situation where we are getting a nil-response."

Some of the crimes which the police admitted were not being investigated included commercial burglary, repeat break-ins, fraud, theft from cars and shops, and criminal damage.

"There is a lot of leg work that is done in police work. You don't need a detailed knowledge of the law, you are not up against confrontational-type situations and I don't see why some of that can't be done by non-commissioned officers," Mr Hubbard said.

- NZPA