The government has always had two targets for adding people to the police service, and it has ticked one of them off, the police minister says.
Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen
The government achieved a target set in its coalition agreement when the 1800th new constable since the government took office was added to the service yesterday.
"We have broken all sorts of records around how many officers we've trained, the size of the police service now, the amount we've sent out there, the diversity," Police Minister Stuart Nash said.
"There are a whole lot of really good things that this means."
There is confusion as to whether the government has changed its target to suit the number of officers that are graduating.
The police cadet graduation yesterday. Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen
When the government was formed in October 2017, the coalition agreement Labour signed with New Zealand First said it would strive to add 1800 police, but did not say if that was over attrition.
Less than a week later, Mr Nash was telling reporters that it did mean above attrition, telling the NZ Herald about 3000 officers would need to be trained to reach the goal of 1800 extra police.
In July 2018, president of the Police Association Chris Cahill said the attrition rate within the police could be as high as just more than 500 officers a year and most of them held senior positions.
After the graduation, Mr Nash said about 1000 extra police were now patrolling across the country.
Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen
He said he has always been clear that there are two targets.
"We've actually talked about both. That's what the funding is for, over and above, but the coalition agreement said new police.
"I will reiterate the fact that if you have a look at press releases we put out about once every four weeks for the last two years, they talk about the number of new recruits - and the number over and above. So again, I think we've been reasonably transparent about this.
"When people started saying there was confusion, my first response was 'why is there confusion?' You know, if you had a look at Budget 2018, we have been funded for 1800 over and above."
When police announced where 1800 extra police would be posted in September 2018, Mr Nash praised the fact 500 officers would be dedicated to fighting organised crime.
In his press release, he said: "The 500 extra specialist police are part of the coalition agreement with New Zealand First to strive for 1800 extra officers.
"Gangs and disruption of organised crime was also identified as a priority area in the coalition agreement. Extra officers at both district and national level will truly make a difference in our communities."
Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen
Mr Nash said yesterday those extra officers, dedicated to fighting organised crime, were not what was promised in the coalition agreement.
He said he expected the second target of 1800 extra police over and above attrition to be met by about 2021.
However, this was at odds with police deputy chief executive Kaye Ryan. In a briefing sent to the minister by Ms Ryan in September, police estimated the 1800th extra officer would be added to the service in the 2022-23 financial year.