North short of police recruits, south over-subscribed

Police National Headquarters says it will not resort to incentives to attract new police officers to districts short of recruits.

Currently officers are recruited by district and police national manager of recruitment and appointment Inspector Dawn Bell said there is a shortage of recruits north of Taupo while there are waiting lists everywhere else.

She said if someone applies in Christchurch, they will wait on a list until a vacancy comes up there.

Ms Bell said police are not forced to work in areas they do not want to, out of concern for their wellbeing.

"Ideally, we want people to be policing an area where they want to be, as opposed to somewhere they have been put, as they would feel that some of the initiative has been taken out of their control," she said.

George Wood, mayor of North Shore City, said the system had its faults. He said in the case of the Auckland region, the cost of living is far too high to attract outsiders and raising the salary for Auckland police is not viable.

Mr Wood said the situation had been discussed for a number of years but police have always said it is neither reasonable nor fair.

He said it was pointless recruiting people from the South Island and Lower North Island if they just want to be transferred back later on.

Mr Wood, a former police inspector, also said police should change their recruiting stance towards certain ethnic groups.

He has attended recruiting seminars aimed at the Asian community, but says they are deterred by the physical criteria.

- NEWSTALK ZB