Survey reveals Hawke's Bay police among the least 'engaged' in the country

Only 22 per cent of Eastern District staff feel they are able to deliver the promised level of service.

Hawke's Bay and Gisborne police are among the least "engaged" with widespread belief they are unable to deliver on promises made to the public by hierarchy and the Government, according to the latest police workplace survey.

Of the 12 police districts throughout the country, only the Northland staff were less engaged than the staff in the Eastern District, which stretches from Central Hawke's Bay to the East Cape, and only 22 per cent of Eastern staff feel they are able to deliver the promised level of service.

Napier MP and Labour Party spokesman on police Stuart Nash, says that if there was one last piece of evidence Minister of Police Judith Collins needs to build a case that police need more frontline staff, the the survey has provided it.

At the same time, Hawke's Bay has seen a huge increase in such crime as burglaries, with 342 reported in July - more than 90 per cent up on those reported in July 2014, the first month of a new recording regime.

Mr Nash said the workplace survey shows only 42 per cent of staff nationally believe their organisation delivers on the promises it makes to the public, an improvement on last year's results, but still the Eastern district result had fallen.

More than 55 per cent of staff believe they have an unacceptable levels of stress on in the job. Even more - 60 per cent - don't believe the organisation is interested in their views and opinions and nearly 70 per cent believe that people aren't promoted on merit.

"In some police districts, the findings are even more worrying.

"In the Tasman District, only 28 per cent of staff believe police deliver on the promises they make to the public, down from 50 per cent last year, while in the Eastern District only 22 per cent do. In the Far North almost 40 per cent of police staff felt disengaged with their work."

Mr Nash also criticised police strategy, saying the latest crime statistics highlight current practice isn't working and needs an operational and strategic rethink.

"Police have been pursuing a 'prevention first' model ," he said.

"While this sounds fantastic and reads well, the results show that it isn't working as crime figures continue to rise and victimisations increase."