Cracking down on insults commonly hurled at police is the first step to ending assaults on police officers, the union's president said today.

Police have charged three men after an assault on an officer at an Oamaru drink-driving checkpoint last night.

Summer has ground to a spectacular halt in a number of regions over the past week - is it going to get even worse?

Police know of at least 30 people have handed over millions of dollars to an alleged fraudster over the last 20 years.

Police are seeking victims of James Lindon Graham who is accused of deceiving "many" in a multi-million dollar fraud lasting over 20 years.