Politics / Covid 19

'Unacceptable' not all police officers vaccinated - National Party

13:50 pm on 26 August 2021

The police minister has been challenged by the National Party over why police have not been given priority Covid-19 vaccinations.

File photo. Photo: RNZ

Before the Delta outbreak, generally only officers working in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) were given vaccinations ahead of the rest of the rollout.

The Police Association was highly critical of this.

Appearing before the justice select committee today, National Party police spokesperson Simeon Brown said he shared their concern.

"It seems quite unacceptable and quite concerning. The fact is we've got these police officers on the frontline and only a third of them have been fully vaccinated."

Police Minister Poto Williams said everybody should get vaccinated.

"I would like us to be able to flick a switch and for everybody to be vaccinated and that would change the way we deal with things immensely ... but I'm really heartened to know that MedPro is working through this process quite steadily and in a short space of time and have been able to deliver first vaccines to nearly half of the constabulary."