“Police Minister Poto Williams has graduated from the Jacinda Ardern school of spin following her latest media release about Police numbers,” says ACT’s Police spokesperson Chris Baillie.

“Labour promised 1800 new Police by 2020 – a target that still hasn’t met. Last month Poto Williams admitted under questioning from ACT in Parliament that the target hasn’t been met and won’t be until at least 2023.

“She must have since been sent to the Labour school of spin, where the moto is to never admit you’ve failed.

“In a media release yesterday, Williams proclaimed there are 2695 new officers on the frontline. She’s stopped taking into account attrition.

“The reality is that the number of Police on the beat is going backwards and we’re still around 700 short of the 1800 new police we were promised by the last Government.

“Williams could admit last month the Government had failed but has been pulled back into line by Ardern this month.

“As a former Police officer myself, I look at the increasing dangers that Police are facing and worry for them. Gangs are recruiting much faster than the Police.

“ACT says we should take the politics out of policing and increase the numbers of cops in line with population growth. This would ensure we always have the right ratio of Police and political parties will no longer be able to treat Police numbers like a political football.”

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