Roads chief sorry for police WoF mistake

The country's top roading officer has apologised for an error which saw the warrant of fitness expire on 150 vehicles in the police fleet.

Acting national road policing manager Inspector John Kelly said police realised earlier this year that some of the vehicles in its 2000-strong fleet were without a warrant.

A probe found that 150 vehicles, ranging from police dog control units to unmarked cars, were without warrants. While Mr Kelly said not all of them were on the road, many were still being used in everyday policing.

Mr Kelly said the discovery was embarrassing but rectified with a new policy which came into effect in April.

"They should have always been warranted, that's a fact," he said.

"We are embarrassed but we put it right several months ago."

The new policy means a fleet company now contacts police a month before the warrant is due, giving plenty of time to get a new one.

Before that, police were notified but not as soon and some had lapsed as a result.

Mr Kelly said the mistake was an important reminder about checking warrant dates for all organisations with a large fleet of vehicles.

National police spokesman Tony Ryall said it was important police cars were "top notch".

He said New Zealanders would expect that the officers enforcing the laws would do so themselves. But Mr Ryall added that it was up to management to keep note of when vehicles needed new warrants, not frontline staff who are already overworked.

Police Association spokesman Greg O'Connor said his biggest concern was getting enough staff to man the police vehicles in the first place.

Motorists caught without a warrant of fitness face an instant $200 fine.

However, Mr Kelly said police did usually give drivers a grace period of 28 days for them to comply with the law before being fined.