Police officers are upset by the Government's funding of a gang-led methamphetamine programme and the NZ Police
Association has totally rejected the proposed $2.75m funding for gang-led meth programme.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern defended the $2.75 million used (from proceeds of crime funding), which was given to a
Mongrel Mob-led meth rehabilitation programme. She admitted that she had been one of the ministers involved in making
the decision to fund it.
The Prime Minister stated that she was 'comfortable' using millions from crime proceeds to fund gang-led meth rehab
However, the New Zealand Police Association is opposed to the payment.
Association President Chris Cahill said he had been contacted by officers asking why they should be taking the risks
they do to bring to account gangs who are armed, dangerous, and dealing meth on a massive scale, when the money is just
going to go back to the gangs.
"One officer likened it to the most successful money laundering scheme he’d heard," Cahill said.
"Police take $2m of dirty money - as they recently did from the Notorious chapter of the Mongrel Mob in Operation Dusk
in Hawke’s Bay - and the Government returns $2.75m in clean money to people so closely linked to the same gang."
The association’s criticism was not directed at drug rehabilitation initiatives but they are angry that police hierarchy
and the Ministry of Health consider a gang such as Notorious Mongrel Mob, which is responsible for the majority of meth
dealing in central Hawke’s Bay, should now be given millions of dollars to fix a problem they have been instrumental in
creating.
How can those who promote the need for drug rehabilitation believe that this multi-million-dollar Mongrel Mob scheme
will do anything but line the pockets of key gang leaders?
The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, said that this programme is about addressing meth addition and in addressing meth
addiction, trying to address criminality related to meth addition, and that local police supported the funding.
So what “do” police say?
A statement by assistant Police commissioner Sandy Venables has been quoted as saying "NZ Police recognises the need to
work with different groups in our communities to develop lasting solutions that will reduce harm.... it is clear that
the programme has strong support locally".
But the Police Association (the police officer’s union), has released a statement saying it totally rejected the
funding, which has upset a growing number of police officers, particularly those involved in organised crime
investigations.
The Police Association President stated that the association's criticism was not directed at drug rehabilitation
initiatives but the Police Association 'totally rejects' $2.75m funding for gang-led meth programme. What was concerning
was the money going to a group so closely linked to the Mongrel Mob, he said.
It is hard to understand how those who are promoting the need for drug rehabilitation can be so blind to how bad this
Mongrel Mob scenario looks, or have any faith in this multi-million-dollar scheme doing anything other than lining the
pockets of key gang leaders.
This is just another example of good intentions being destroyed by the ineptitude and lack of connection to reality of
this government.