Use of police to escort overstayers questioned

The use of police officers to escort overstayers back to their home countries is being questioned after it was revealed 12,000 hours of police time was used on the task last year.

Police officers were last year sent on about 200 immigration removals - where an officer accompanies an overstayer considered to be a safety risk.

The practice was highlighted in April when 10 Hawkes Bay police officers were called away in one week to escort illegal immigrants out of New Zealand.

The Department of Labour meets the cost of the travel, but sworn police officers are used to do the work.

Act MP Deborah Coddington, who raised the issue in Parliament, said 12,000 hours was equivalent to six years' work for one officer.

This was extravagant use of police time given the reported shortages of sworn officers, she said.

"So while New Zealanders give up on 111 calls and wait for days for police to come to a burglary, we waste precious officers escorting overstayers back to their countries."

Ms Coddington called for a review of the policy specifying that sworn police officers must be used.

"Police already contract with security firms to do things like guard the scenes of crimes and other forms of security. Maybe the Department of Labour should be looking elsewhere rather than using up precious police resources."

The Police Commissioner's Office said officers were used because they were trained in the use of force, self-defence and restraint, and could ensure the safety of other passengers on the flight.

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the practice did not adversely affect police resources because frontline officers - where the association says the personnel shortages are worst - were rarely used to escort overstayers.

But a former policeman told the Weekend Herald that police were keen to defend the practice because the overseas trips were a perk.

Counties police operations manager Inspector Dave Simpson said the 12,000 hours were only part of the cost to police.

Transport to and from the airport, time required in holding individuals before departure, and resources required to track down overstayers also needed to be accounted for.

additional reporting Jon Stokes