The Police Minister’s admission to the Justice Select Committee this morning that she did not raise the issue of low vaccination rates among frontline police officers with Cabinet is shameful, says National Party Police spokesperson Simeon Brown.

“Poto Williams’ failure to raise the issue of low vaccination rates of police officers with her Cabinet colleagues is a clear admission the safety of frontline police officers from a Covid outbreak was never a priority for her or Cabinet.

“Only a third of all frontline police officers have been fully vaccinated against Covid, meaning most officers are being put unduly at risk trying to enforce the nationwide lockdown. That the Minister and Cabinet failed to prioritise the safety our frontline police offices is unconscionable.

“There are more than 10,000 frontline police officers across the country who are needed to keep Kiwis safe during lockdown. These low vaccination rates are not only an unjustified risk to frontline officers and their families, but also to the public.

“The Police Association raised this issue with the Minister back in May – well before the outbreak of the Delta variant in New Zealand. Our Police officers are right to be frustrated and angry at the way the Government has treated them.

“They’ve put up with a pay freeze, are expected to deal with increasing firearms violence without support and now they’re expected to enforce a lockdown while most officers aren’t vaccinated.

“All of this shows the Government does not really care about frontline officers and the situations they face.

“The Government must get on with vaccinating our important frontline officers immediately.”

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