A police system which gives people involved in disorderly behaviour and boozy brawling a "cooling down period", while freeing up police time to tackle more serious crimes, is being praised by Northland's top cop.
Figures released to the Advocate show that Northland police issued 811 pre-charge warnings in the 2011/12 financial year for offences such as breaching the local liquor ban, disorderly behaviour and fighting in a public place.
The warning means the system does not criminalise people for lower-level offending, according to Whangarei/Kaipara area commander, Inspector Tracy Phillips.
Police can arrest a person, take them to the station for processing, and if appropriate and the offender admits guilt, they can issue a warning as an alternative to a charge or prosecution.
The warning goes on the offender's record and is included in police crime statistics.
The system, introduced in September 2010, has saved Northland police valuable time and has unclogged local courts by removing the need to process lower level offending.
Inspector Ms Phillips said it 811 cautioned for disorder
The best thing about it is it deals with people we need to get off the street there and then. Inspector Tracy Phillips took efficient staff at least an hour to prepare a basic prosecution file, so the pre-charge warning system was saving staff considerable time.
"The best thing about it is it deals with people we need to get off the street there and then.
"It gives them a cooling down period and means that we've got the tools to deal with something, without having to be tied up preparing a file."
Police issued 21,866 pre-charge warnings nationwide in the 2011/12 financial year, freeing up around 37,000 police hours. Nearly 80 per cent of those who received warnings were not re-arrested for a subsequent offence within six months, which showed "offenders are taking the pre-charge warnings seriously".
Superintendent Wally Haumaha, from Police National Headquarters, said pre-charge warnings could only be issued by an officer of senior sergeant rank or above and they were not available for more serious offending.
The streamlined system has even drawn praise from Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar. Mr McVicar said he was happy the offending still appeared on police stats and offenders' records but feared the warnings would be extended to more serious crimes.
"We all make mistakes and provided you learn, it kicks you back on track and you become a legal law-abiding citizen, then I'm happy with that," he said.