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Rotorua is to get a new Police Station that will enable local Police to serve the community better, Police Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Demolition of the existing station, which is more than 40 years old, is scheduled to take place in May 2012 and construction will begin soon after. The new station is expected to be operational by October 2013.

The overall project cost, which will be subject to a competitive tender, is expected to be $18.5 million.

A new shared facility between Police and Child, Youth and Family in Whakatane will ensure that child victims in the area receive the best care and protection, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

The new facility, which opened today, is the latest shared agency centre dedicated to reducing child abuse, bringing perpetrators to justice and keeping victims safe.

Over the past decade multi-agency centres or co-locations have opened in Auckland, Counties-Manukau, Hamilton, Tauranga, Whanganui and Petone.

Police Minister Judith Collins today opened the new Manurewa Police Station, and paid tribute to the work of local Police in reducing crime.

The station, which cost around $6 million, will be the base for 173 Police staff. The building replaces the old station which was too small for the growing number of Police in Manurewa.

Around 50 of the 300 new frontline officers deployed by the Government in Counties-Manukau are based at Manurewa.

“With all those extra officers, the Manurewa Police team outgrew the old station,” Ms Collins said.

Minister to host inaugural SCPEM meeting

Police Minister Judith Collins will chair the inaugural meeting of the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Management (SCPEM) in Auckland this week.

The meeting will be held on 11 November and will be attended by more than 70 New Zealand and Australian Police and Emergency Management Ministers, Police Commissioners and senior officials.

SCPEM, established by the Council of Australian Governments in September 2011, forms part of the new Ministerial Council arrangements recommended in the Hawke Review.

The interception of a large amount of the drug GBL is proof of the success Police and Customs achieve in the fight against crime, Police Minister Judith Collins and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

Last month Customs officers intercepted a package from Hong Kong at the International Mail Centre.

The package contents were declared as a cleaning chemical. But analysis showed the 24.24 kg of liquid was the Class ‘B’ Controlled Drug Gamma Butyrolactone commonly known as GBL or Fantasy.

Police Minister Judith Collins today praised the Police security operation during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, saying Police had done an outstanding job of ensuring the safety of tens of thousands of fans.

The Police operation, which involved around 1300 staff from throughout the country during the Cup, began to wind down after the Wellington street parade for the All Blacks on Wednesday.

A survey showing New Zealanders are feeling safer is a tribute to the hard work and professionalism of Police, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

The latest trust and confidence survey results released by NZ Police show public confidence in Police has increased from 75 percent in 2009/10 to 77 percent in 2010/11.

The survey also shows an increase in people's sense of safety in their neighbourhoods and town centres.

Increased pressure on criminals and a greater focus on crime prevention has contributed to a further drop in the recorded crime rate, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

Reported crime dropped 7 percent on a per head of population basis during the fiscal year ended 30 June 2011, statistics released today show. This compares to a 1.3 percent drop in the year to 30 June 2010 and a 6.7 percent drop for the 2010 calendar year.

Good morning.

I am honoured to be with you today as we honour serving Police officers who have given their lives in the course of the duty, and remember all members of Police, serving and retired, constabular and employees, who have died in the past year.

On this day of remembrance, I would like to very briefly acknowledge Lance Corporal Leon Smith who was killed in action in Afghanistan yesterday morning.

The risks facing our soldiers in the pursuit of freedom is something we all recognise.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Police and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will widen the net in the fight against financial crime, Police Minister and Minister Responsible for the SFO Judith Collins said.

The MOU was signed in Wellington today. It covers a range of law enforcement activities between the two agencies, and envisages joint operations on major financial crime investigations, prosecutions and asset recovery.

Police Minister Judith Collins today paid tribute to Police who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Ms Collins attended a service at the Royal New Zealand Police College at Porirua to mark Police Remembrance Day.

Police Remembrance Day is held annually in New Zealand, Australia and throughout the Pacific to honour the fallen.

Since 1890, 29 Police officers and traffic officers have been slain in the line of duty in New Zealand.

A shared facility between Police and Child, Youth and Family in Hamilton will strengthen their support for victims of child abuse, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

The new facility, which opened today, is the latest shared agency centre dedicated to reducing child abuse, bringing perpetrators to justice and keeping victims safe.

Cash and assets worth around $48 million have been seized under new legislation enabling Police to confiscate the proceeds of crime, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

The Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, which took effect in December 2009, enables Police to seized assets believed to be the proceeds of crime without first securing a criminal conviction.

“I am very pleased to report that the Police have been highly successful in investigating and seizing assets funded by criminal activity since this Government passed the legislation," Ms Collins said.

A wave of action by Police yesterday will serve as a reminder to overseas crime gangs that they are not welcome in New Zealand, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

Yesterday, Police executed search warrants at 13 addresses in New Plymouth, one in Otaki, one in Auckland and seven in Northland.

A total of 22 people were arrested, including members and associates of the Australian Rebels Motorcycle Club which has been attempting to establish itself in New Zealand.

New Plymouth’s 49-year-old Police Station is to be pulled down and a new one built in its place, Police Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Police will demolish the existing station and build a 2350m² station on the site. The overall project, which will be subject to a competitive tender, is expected to be in the range of $10 - $12 million.

The current station was built by the Ministry of Works and opened in August 1962. At the time there were fewer than 30 Police in New Plymouth. Today there are 155.

Police Minister Judith Collins has congratulated Police on being named New Zealand’s Most Reputable Government Department in a survey by NZ Management magazine.

It is the second year in a row that Police have been named Most Reputable Government Department.

The magazine said Police’s reputation was based on its strong relationship with the public, a clear and compelling vision and strong and effective leadership.

Police Minister Judith Collins today opened the third and final stage of the $35 million new Manukau Police Station, and paid tribute to the work of Manukau Police in reducing crime.

The first stage of the new station was opened in February 2007 and the second in February 2009. The third stage, which was completed under the $5 million budget, will bring Crime Services Staff together under one roof. The entire project cost around $35 million and will house a staff of about 300.

The Government today announced its plan for a multi-agency offensive on organised crime.

Strengthening New Zealand’s Resistance to Organised Crime, an All-of-Government Response, outlines a plan to disrupt criminal networks.

More than 5,000 Police Safety Orders (PSOs) were issued in the first year of their existence, Justice Minister Simon Power and Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

The orders, which came into effect on 1 July last year, allow Police to remove an alleged violent person from the home for a period of up to five days.

Police can use the new tool in situations where there is insufficient evidence to arrest but where they believe there is a likelihood of violence occurring.

Figures released for the year to July show:

A Bill reinstating the legal rights of Police over storage of youth identifying particulars, such as fingerprints and photographs, restores one of the Police’s vital tools in addressing youth offending, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

A $2 million refurbishment of Pukekohe Police Station will enable Police to better serve their community, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Ms Collins joined local Police at the opening of the refurbished station today. She said that prior to the refurbishment the station was not up to the demands of modern Police work.

“Our New Zealand Police deserve plenty of support, good tools and good working conditions,” she said.

“This includes modern, well-equipped Police stations that allow them to perform at their best.

Police Minister Judith Collins today congratulated eight Police officers who received awards or citations for their actions during the Napier siege in May 2009.

The officers were recognised for their roles during the siege which began with the fatal shooting of Police Senior Constable Len Snee by Jan Molenaar during a routine check of a Chaucer Rd address.

Police plan to have 30 new Neighbourhood Policing Teams in action throughout New Zealand by the end of the year, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams work in priority communities for three to five years alongside other government agencies and partners to solve the problems of that neighbourhood. 

“I am pleased to report that following the successful deployment of Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Counties-Manukau that a further 18 teams are being trained for a nationwide roll out of the initiative,” Ms Collins said.

The Government has approved capital expenditure of $20.8 million to demolish the existing Tauranga Police Station and build a state-of-the art replacement, Police Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Police have occupied the Monmouth Street site since the 1880s, with the current station built by the Ministry of Works in 1965. The existing building was built to accommodate only 50 staff and 10 police vehicles. The number of Police in Tauranga has grown to around 185 with 60 vehicles.