Police hiring freeze, contractor cuts: High-level directive warns of ‘more fiscally constrained environment’

The high-level directive, seen by the Herald, includes cuts to contractors and consultants, and delaying recruitment for specific non-constabulary roles. Photo / Hayden Woodward

One of the country’s top cops has warned staff of a “more fiscally constrained” environment which will freeze hiring of non-constabulary full-time staff as the force focuses on “efficiency and productivity” for the next few years.

The high-level directive, seen by the Herald, includes cuts to contractors and consultants, and delaying recruitment for specific non-constabulary roles.

It comes amid concerns about rising crime, which is set to become a key battleground leading up to the election.

The Police Association said it’s concerned the constraints “fail to recognise” the increasing demands on police resources and the pressure inflation has added to police budgets.

The National Party said the directive is “deeply concerning” and sends a negative message to stretched frontline staff.

Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming (left) and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo / Police

Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming told staff in an email, seen by the Herald, last month that police would be delivering its “priorities” for the 2023-24 financial year in a “more fiscally constrained” environment.

McSkimming said with growing demand on the services delivered by police, there remained pressure on the police’s financial position.

Treasury had also provided “clear expectations” to police that in the coming year, there was to be no “new growth” in non-constabulary full-time equivalent headcount. They had also been asked to reduce spending on contractors and consultants and focus on “efficiency and productivity for the next two [to] three years”.

Police’s executive leadership team had made several decisions including delaying recruitment for specific non-constabulary roles, and reducing funding available for “transformation”, to enable them to focus on their “core service delivery”. They were also looking into minimising the collection of Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) and annual leave.

The email said staff would need to “be prepared to make difficult choices”.

National's police spokesman Mark Mitchell says the directive sends a “very negative message” to frontline staff. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In response to questions from the Herald a police spokesperson said that like any other government department, police had “a responsibility to be fiscally prudent”.

“Our executive leadership team regularly review resource allocation and adjust where necessary, to ensure targets are met without impacting negatively on our day-to-day business.”

National’s police spokesman Mark Mitchell said the message to staff was “deeply concerning”, and sent a “very negative message” to frontline staff.

“You’ve got a government that is asking the police to do more, that’s trying to deal with an increase in crime, but they’re going to fund them less and take resource away,” he said.

“When frontline police officers see that you’ve now got Police National Headquarters (PNHQ) now telling them that they’re going to manage their TOIL and leave and that they’re going to be cutting costs in backroom support ... it sends an awful message.”

Mitchell added PNHQ had a “huge increase” in numbers, leaving him concerned it would be the districts that were impacted.

He said frontline police were under “growing pressure” to respond to a “huge increase” in violent crime, with many working overtime.

Police Association president Chris Cahill. Photo / Kevin Stent

“They should be able to choose to take time off when it suits them or their family, not when PNHQ decides.”

Minister of Police Ginny Andersen recently said she believed the Government could do “a whole lot better to make our community safer”.

“What we’re seeing right now is unacceptable, it is not the New Zealand that I grew up in, it’s not the New Zealand that I want to live in.”

In response to questions about the directive she told the Herald all government agencies should ensure they are “responsible”, with their spending.

“We always need to be running the ruler over how we use taxpayer money, especially given the current economic circumstances.”

She said the Government had a “strong record” of investing in police and cited funding 1800 extra police, as well as the rollout of the new tactical response model worth $185m.

Police’s operating budget had also increased by nearly 50 per cent under the current Government, she said.

“I’m proud to be part of a government that resources our police properly, and has done so from day one,” she said.

Police Association president Chris Cahill told the Herald the association was aware of McSkimming’s email and understood the “fiscal constraints” that had been communicated from government to the police.

“The association has concerns that these constraints fail to recognise the increasing demands on police that have not been funded by government and the pressure inflation alone has added to police budgets.”

He acknowledged police needed to also look within to operate with the best use of public money.

“We are concerned that districts will bear the brunt of many of these savings initiatives when it is PNHQ that has achieved large increases in police employee numbers in the past five years rather than districts.

“Equally, with demand having already outstripped the benefits of the increase in sworn police resources, staff will inevitably have to work overtime to meet these growing demands,” he said.

Sam Sherwood is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers crime. He is a senior journalist who joined the Herald in 2022, and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.