A National Government will deliver more frontline police officers with the expectation they will focus on inner-city crime prevention and enforcement, National’s Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“Crime has escalated under Labour, particularly in downtown and CBD areas including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton.

“Since Labour took office, violent crime is up 33 per cent, serious assaults have more than doubled and gang membership is up 70 per cent. This year there has been close to two ram raids a day, on average.

“Much of this increased crime is concentrated in what were once relatively safe inner-city areas, where shop owners and members of the public are expressing concern about a lack of visible police presence on the streets.

“That’s why National will deliver an extra 300 frontline Constables over the next four years, to increase the physical presence of beat officers in CBD areas in major cities dealing with a significant spike in criminal activity.

“The allocation of these 300 extra police officers, costing $124 million over four years, will be determined by district Police commanders, but National will set out clear expectations that this added resource is directed to the frontlines in central city locations.

“In addition to funding a net increase in Police officers, National will scrap Labour’s policing by consent philosophy which has been a failure and encourage a back-to-basics policing model with a focus on highly visible beat and patrol officers building relationships with local shop owners and retailers, increasing contact and interaction with the public, deterring anti-social behaviour and street violence, and reassuring urban communities.

“We have seen far too many scenes of youths ram-raiding businesses, violent aggravated robberies, assaults occurring in broad daylight, and gangs discharging firearms near innocent bystanders.

“New Zealand Police are world class but have been increasingly stretched as they are left to mop up the mess of Labour’s soft-on-crime approach. The bravery that the men and women of the New Zealand Police have shown over the past six years needs to be rewarded with a government that backs them.

“This election, voters have a clear choice. Only National has the policies to get tough on gangs, to ensure there are consequences for youth offenders, including boot camps, and to ensure sentences better reflect offending and that prisoners have more rehabilitation.

“Labour, by contrast, has cut the prison population without reducing crime, and is cosying up to the gangs which are now actively campaigning for Labour’s re-election.

“National has always been the party of law and order and if we win this year’s election, offenders will certainly know there has been a change of government.

“National will rebuild the economy to bring down the cost of living, deliver tax relief, restore law and order, and deliver better education and healthcare for New Zealanders.”

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