Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

31 October 2005

Time for Police Minister to act

National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power, says there is something wrong when police can prosecute a speeding driver by mail on the word of a member of the public but ignore videotaped evidence of a burglary.

He is commenting on reports that an Auckland man received a $150 speeding infringement notice in the mail after a member of the public complained to police, while another said police treated a videotape of men breaking into his car like ‘an insurance job.’

He “These incidents have everything to do with the message police are being given from on high, and basically stem from a lack resources and the pressure they are under to improve crime resolution rates.

“Frontline police are not to blame for this because they are having to take the easier option due to stretched resources and pressure to make figures look good.

“This pressure seems also to be forcing police to use two thresholds for evidence – one where people are being prosecuted for an offence when no officer was on the scene, and the other where there would seem to be clear evidence but which is being ignored.

“The public needs assurances from the new Minister of Police that she is going to change the priorities forced on the police by her predecessor,” Mr Power says.

“Let’s hope she is capable of doing that.”

ENDS

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