Police Minister Mark Mitchell (left) claims he and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers are aligned over the Government's 500 extra police target. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Police Minister Mark Mitchell (left) claims he and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers are aligned over the Government's 500 extra police target. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says police should read the Government’s coalition agreement after Police Commissioner Richard Chambers warned MPs it could take longer than two years to train an extra 500 officers as promised.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday threw his support behind what he described as an “ambitious” goal but reiterated Chambers’ commitment to prioritise the quality of trained officers over hitting the target.
In coalition negotiations, National and NZ First agreed on a commitment to train 500 more police officers in the two years to November 27, next year.
Deemed an ambitious goal by former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, current commissioner Richard Chambers last week told a select committee he was open to taking longer to train 500 new officers so the quality of the officers was retained.
“If it takes us a little bit of extra time ... then we’ll take that,” Chambers said to MPs, adding that was “probably the community expectation”.
He restated that to journalists after the select committee, noting he was confident the target would be reached by 2026.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers warned MPs training quality would not be compromised. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Deputy Commissioner Chris de Wattignar also said in select committee it was a “more accurate picture of the target” to say it would be achieved by June, 2026.
“That’s where the projections are taking us at the moment.”
A police email on December 3, released under the Official Information Act, referenced the target being achieved by June 30, 2026.
Asked about the comments in select committee, Peters said: “They should read the coalition agreement because we made a commitment and we’re going to deliver on it.”
Peters, who made the comments ahead of the House sitting today, was seen talking with Mitchell shortly afterwards.
Soon after the coalition agreement was signed, Mitchell began saying the 500-target would take three years to achieve.
The Herald understands Peters quickly intervened and his party held discussions with National before the original timeline was confirmed.
Since the comments from police last week, Mitchell has claimed Chambers was instead referring to funding for the 500 new police being provided in 2026.
Today, Mitchell said police were “fully committed” to the target, which he described as a “NZ First policy”.
Mitchell claimed he and Chambers were “fully aligned”.
“Police have not shifted off the commitment to deliver the 500 in November, that has never moved,” he said.
“You need to talk to [Chambers] about that if he expressed doubt.”
The Herald last week asked police to clarify Chambers’ position, in light of Mitchell’s earlier comments.
A spokesperson said police were “working hard to deliver 500 additional officers” by November next year.
“While we know this is ambitious, we are committed to achieving this target.”
The statement referenced an increase in recruiting capacity becoming available in April as a measure it was employing to achieve the target.
Luxon yesterday said he believed the target was possible within the original timeframe, but accepted the Government wouldn’t support compromising training quality to meet it.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said in his experience as a police minister, recruitment estimates were often “quite optimistic”.
“If they are saying that they’re not going to reach them until 2026, I’d take their word over the word of the Minister of Police any day.”
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
