Police Cell No Place For Teen

New Zealand First is calling on the Government to explain why a teenage boy has been left in a police cell for nine days while waiting for a bed with Child, Youth and Family.

“It is outrageous and horrifying to think that a young boy has been left alone in a cell for that amount of time. Why has no-one stepped in to ensure this 16-year-old was put into appropriate care?” asked social services spokesperson Bill Gudgeon.

“Police are not there to babysit wayward teenagers, that is why we have a department like CYFS but yet again it is proving that it is under-resourced and over-stretched.

“It is time for the Government to step up and take some responsibility. For too long now it has been saying that CYFS operations will be reviewed and an appropriate course of action taken to ensure that the mistakes of the past do not happen again.

“A 16-year-old teen being held in a police cell for nine days is an example of a system reaching crisis point.

“The Government must act now to ensure that no more youths are held for long periods of time in police cells,” said Mr Gudgeon.

ENDS

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