May 19, 2005
Extra Police resources great news, says Mayor
North Shore City's Mayor George Wood is delighted by the Government's Budget announcement today, which will see more
funding for more Police.
The Government announced the funding of 265 more Police staff in today's Budget, injecting $172.9m over four years into
the service.
"I'm pleased to hear the Police Commissioner say that most of the staff will be in front line roles with the bulk going
into metropolitan Auckland and the upper North Island. That's music to my ears. I feel like the Government has finally
listened to the community on this issue," says Mayor Wood.
Mayor Wood says he is pleased that the emphasis for the new staff will be on frontline service delivery. "The fact that
100 extra staff are to be deployed in call centres will go a long way towards regaining public confidence. These extra
staff will also take the pressure off frontline officers by dealing with routine telephone inquiries in a more efficient
manner."
George Wood says funding for extra staff to focus on organised crime is also a positive move and he is pleased that
substantially more money will go into purchasing new equipment. "This is a good news story for every Police officer and
for the communities around New Zealand."
(ends)