Key points:
- There are 190 more people on the National Gang List and 80 fewer police officers on the streets than in November 2023 when Labour was in government.
- Police Minister Mark Mitchell says the National-led government is seeing success and there are many police officers in training to come through, but there is “a lot more to do”.
- Former police officer Lance Burdett says the gang patch ban will have the opposite of the intended effect, forcing criminals underground.
The Government came to power with a promise to “restore law and order” but as it nears the end of its first year in office, there are more gang members and fewer police officers on our streets, according to official figures.
Compared to a year ago, when Labour was in government, there are now 190 more individuals on the National Gang List, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said in a written response in Parliament.
Additionally, the police database shows there are 80 fewer police officers on the streets compared to November 2023.
Mitchell vowed in August last year that people would have to start seeing changes in the first 12 months of his tenure or he would resign.
“I’m not the right guy for the job, if I cannot do that and I cannot deliver that, then I will resign,” he said at the time.
As this 12-month mark approaches, Mitchell told 1News that he felt “very strongly” about making the promise at the time.
“I needed to put a marker in the ground for myself in terms of whether we were seeing change, whether or not we are seeing success. We are, we’ve got a lot more to do.”
He said the Government was putting “enormous pressure” on the gangs and that it is becoming “really uncomfortable” to be a gang member in New Zealand.
“That pressure is going to continue.”
‘500 more police officers’
The Government also promised to deliver 500 more police officers by this time next year to boost public safety.
So far, it has not added a single officer. But Mitchell said he was confident the target would be met.
“We’ve got such a strong pipeline, we’ve got wings of 100 police officers coming in,” he said.
Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said it “wasn’t looking good” for Mitchell or the Government in terms of making good on their promises.
“It shows that the tactics they have employed are still meaning more people are joining gangs. Gang membership is still increasing, and the concern is that the number of police officers are falling.
“That does not make New Zealanders feel safer.”
Former police officer Lance Burdett said New Zealanders were not safer and that we were doing “very badly” compared to other nations – particularly with youth crime.
“We will feel safer not seeing gang patches around, but we won’t actually be safer, because in fact it’s driven underground.”