Authorised Speech to New Zealand Police Association Conference

· Thank you for asking me to speak here this morning.

· I am pleased to say, that as Minister of Police I have a good working relationship with the New Zealand Police Association president Greg O'Connor. My belief is that it is important to continue regular contact with the Police Association. Its role in policing in New Zealand is after-all one of dedication and professionalism. To this end Greg and I meet every two weeks. We have all benefited from this contact.

· May I congratulate the Police for achieving an overall reduction in crime. There is much in the latest National Crime Statistics to display how the Police are effectively cracking down on crime. Every one of you will have played a part in the overall picture. Every one of you represents sworn and non-sworn staff who are dedicated to making New Zealand a safer place.

The Crime Statistics show an overall reduction in reported crime and also an increase in the number of crimes resolved.

Police have also achieved the best nationwide burglary resolution percentage ever, with 14.3% of all recorded burglaries resolved. This is the best result since such record keeping began in 1988.

Motor vehicle theft and theft from cars has reduced by around 17% respectively. These results are encouraging.

Police achieved this result in the seven months since this Labour/Alliance Government came to power.

· This Government is determined to aid the Police in its work, this includes providing Police with the equipment and resources necessary to combat crime and to proactively reduce the incidence of crime in our communities.

· INCIS - much has been said about this project. It drained the Police of resources that would have better been used to directly fight crime. We were all sold the story how investing in INCIS would save the Police time and how it would save the Police and the government money. That did not occur. To the contrary, INCIS was like a vacuum cleaner that sucked resources out of the Police budget. It was an IT pipe-dream that caused the frontline to be deprived of staff and equipment essential to policing. INCIS had to be canned. The gate had to be slammed shut on that costly ill-advised experiment. On becoming Government, we did this, we cut the cable to the excesses of the previous administration and its obsession with the corporate mirror-glass set.

· We are now in catch-up mode. This year, the Government has invested $12 million on new Police cars. The Police however in fact require further replacements to its fleet. I will be asking Cabinet to approve another $20 million this year for further new Police cars. We have committed ourselves to sensible and effective IT crime fighting tools. Police need equipment to police the streets. As Minister of Police, I do not want our frontline officers having to go to an incident without having appropriate backup. I remember all too well how some officers in the Counties Manukau Police District once had to attend incidents without radio-communication equipment. Such was the legacy of INCIS. The Government has committed itself to resourcing Police to ensure criminal activity declines. This Government is serious about law and order. On gaining office we insisted key-policy areas targeting burglary and youth crime be addressed.

· We delivered a Government expectation that burglaries be attended within 24 hours. Police responded to this immediately - and we now have an average burglary response time of 7 hours 11 minutes.

· The Government was also determined to put money where its mouth is.

· In all, this Government invested $80 million extra in this year's budget to aid Police to achieve it crime fighting goals. Compare that to the National Party, that intended on cutting the Police budget by $24 million if it had gained power at the last election. We ought not to forget that fact.

· One other area that required immediate attention, once we became Government, was to examine the effect the Police Review was having. We found Police morale was suffering to a degree that caused concern. Job uncertainty and cynicism was common. The past government had promised the Review would save $50 million. The Review in fact cost $18 million and saved $1 million - that was all pain and no gain.

· The Government instructed that the Police Review be halted. However there has been, among some District Commanders, a willingness to proceed with the review but under a different name. That is not acceptable - nor will it be tolerated.

· That said, I have observed a new stability within the Police. The year's beginning heralded much change. Largely this change has been for the better. And as a consequence the Police, as an organisation, is achieving results and is forever progressing as a professional organisation.

· The challenge of professionalism and efficiency is forever present. We all have a part to play in ensuring positive crime fighting trends continue. The Police hierarchy also has a part to play in ensuring the tax-payer's dollar is used to its maximum potential. I am pleased with the manner in which the new Commissioner of Police performs. He is an honest and forthright commissioner who certainly has a determination to make New Zealand a safer place. He is a strong advocate for the Police and one who wishes to stamp his mark on modern policing practice. Robbie Robinson is a cops cop.

· The Police Executive is crucial to ensuring resources are delivered efficiently to those charged with fighting crime. As Police Minister there are limitations that prevent me from interfering with the structure and positioning with regard to operational Police issues. But this doesn't deter me from examining how effective Police National Headquarters is at delivering resources to law enforcement and proactive policing initiatives within the districts. Obvious questions are is the Police Executive too large? Could savings be made if the Police Executive was trimmed?

· My view is, and I believe this view is shared by the Commissioner of Police, that the Police executive is too large in number. The Cabinet has 20 members who are responsible for looking after 3.8 million New Zealanders. It seems excessive to me for the Police Executive to have 20 members whose task it is to look after New Zealand Police with a staff of around 9000. I would expect changes will be made there.

· There is much to examine and much to consider. No doubt this conference will provide views on how the Police Association and its members can ensure New Zealand continues to become a safer place. I wish you free and frank discussion and I look forward to hearing how this conference progresses.

· Thank you.