New Zealanders have the right to go about their lives free from harm.
That’s one reason why there’s pressure on all governments to keep crime rates low and to help Kiwis feel safe and be safe.
When I’m out on doorsteps talking to residents in our Botany community, law and order issues are one of the most common subjects people want to discuss.
People want to be able to park their vehicle in their driveway or on the road without it being broken into or stolen.
They want to be able to be at home with their family without fearing someone may break in and steal their possessions. And they absolutely do not want to become the victim of a violent crime.
Local residents are well served by our outstanding Counties Manukau East Police, but the number of people living in this area is growing and we need more Police on our streets to keep us all safe.
The current Government came to power promising an extra 1800 police over three years and so far it’s delivered 1524.
It recently announced the deployment of 78 new Police Constables around New Zealand, including 19 to our local Counties Manukau area. That’s a good start but we need even more new police.
NZ Police are under tremendous pressure in their day to day duties, and add to that the need to run the gun buy-back properly in the wake of the March 15 Christchurch mosque shootings.
Our local police put themselves in harm’s way each and every day. The least we can do is to ensure they have the training and equipment they need to help them deal with a wide range of situations.
We must also ensure they’re supported by a sufficient number of fellow frontline officers.
That means investing more money in recruiting extra police, accelerating the process of training them at the Royal NZ Police College, and deploying them to areas where they’re most needed.
We must hold the Government to account on its promises when it comes to law and order. Community safety should always be a priority for our elected representatives.
Jami-Lee Ross
MP for Botany
