More Police Funding To Improve Public Safety
Press Release – New Zealand Government
Minister of Police
The Government is investing more in core police services to continue its good progress in restoring law and order and improving the safety of all New Zealanders, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says.
'This year's Budget package continues to support Police's frontline to deliver the policing services our communities need. Our frontline officers do an outstanding job, and this funding will help make sure they can continue doing that.
'We are investing $480 million over four years to support the Police frontline. Much of this remedies an under-funded increase to Police numbers inherited from the previous Government. It funded the salaries of 1800 extra Police, but not the associated infrastructure, equipment and other costs,' Mr Mitchell says.
'There is also new funding of $60 million over four years for the Police Prosecutions Uplift Programme (PUP), and funding to update the out-dated Police payroll, human resources, and workforce management systems.
'PUP is a programme of targeted interventions, including improving prosecutions to support court efficiencies and more timely case resolutions. It has the added benefit of freeing up frontline Police from administrative overhead.
'The programme started in July 2023 in Auckland, and its success there means it will now be rolled out nationally.
'Upgrading the Enterprise Resource Management technology will enable a modern, reliable system that ensures Police's 10,000-plus staff get paid on time and deliver improved rostering and scheduling data to better inform frontline deployment decisions.
'We're supporting Police to crack down on crime and ensure there are real consequences for offenders.
'We've brought in new laws to go after gangs, we're tackling youth offending and retail crime, and we funded beat teams to get more officers back on the beat as part of delivering 500 new officers.
'We're demonstrating our commitment to 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime and cutting youth offending by 15 per cent across our Government's term. We want Kiwis to be safer at home and in their communities. We recognise there is more work to do, and this Budget contributes to that.'
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