Police Minister must get involved

new-zealand-national-party

Tue Jun 26 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Police Minister must get involved

Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 11:05 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Chester Borrows MP
National Party Police Spokesman

26 June 2007

Police Minister Annette King must urgently get involved in concerns over the standard of police recruits and not sit meekly on the sideline, says National’s Police spokesman, Chester Borrows.

“Issues over the lowering of standards for recruits are much too important for this Minister to simply say she is willing to accept assurances by management that police college graduates are up to the standard the public expects.

“We have seen what has happened in Corrections when a weak Minister accepts the word of his department – disaster after disaster after disaster.

“That situation must not be allowed to be repeated in the Police.

“We must not let the Government’s desperation to meet the promise of 1,000 extra police allow the acceptance of sub-standard recruits, including one who needed to be taught how to write the alphabet.

“Nor is it good enough for the Government to hide behind the need to provide police of different ethnicities as a reason for lowering standards.

“The public expects all frontline police to deal with all types of emergencies involving all ethnicities – including speakers of English.

“Annette King must urgently take a more active role.

“Her lack of willingness to front this issue shows her lack of confidence in the Police at a time when public confidence is lower than ever.

“Rebuilding trust in the police – so severely dented by this Government – must be her absolute top priority.

“The public demands and deserves nothing less.”

ENDS

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