10 January 2005

Time To Protect Our Police - Mark

New Zealand First spokesman for law and order Ron Mark was appalled today at the news of an attack on two police officers by a woman who allegedly set her pitbull-type dogs on them and then attacked them in their car. This latest incident came just three days after a female officer was brutally assaulted and left unconscious.

“New Zealanders who put on the blue uniform and swear to protect us do so knowing that they might be putting their own lives in danger,’ said Mr Mark.

“But that is not to say that we, the citizens of New Zealand who employ them and accept their protection as a given, should accept acts of violence against them as being part of the job. It is not.

“It is right that we should protect them in return.

“That a person should make a conscious decision to challenge law enforcement officers going about their sworn duty of protecting the public is totally unacceptable, and people who do so need to be fully aware of the consequences.

“We as a nation should make it abundantly clear to all such persons that the penalty will be high.

“New Zealand First will be looking at existing laws and historic cases in order to determine whether those penalties are currently strong enough or whether there is a case to strengthen them in order to deter such attacks,’ concluded Mr Mark.

ENDS

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