The fact that assaults on Police have almost doubled in the past year is a damning indictment on the state of law and order under Labour, National’s acting Police spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Last year, our frontline Police were the victims of more than 1,100 assaults – more than three every day and up from 631 in 2021.

“Sadly, this confirms everything we are hearing from frontline officers – that they feel less safe on the job than they did five years ago.

“This is another measure of the breakdown in law and order. Frontline Police are working incredibly hard to keep our communities safe.

“Offenders know there will not be consequences for their actions because Labour is soft on crime. This has led to a collapse in respect for frontline officers.

“Judge Colin Doherty of the Independent Police Conduct Authority told the justice select committee that the biggest concern he hears from frontline Police is just getting home at the end of their shift, and they are hearing it far more regularly now than five years ago.

“Something is seriously wrong when Police officers and New Zealanders both feel unsafe in their communities. We now have retailers installing fog cannons and bus companies installing cages to protect their drivers.

“National will ensure offenders face tougher consequences. Under a National Government, anyone who assaults a first responder or prison officer will receive a minimum sentence of six months imprisonment.”

National also has a plan to back Police by giving them more tools to do their jobs effectively and safely. National will:

• Ban gang patches, which have been the recent fuel for the worst gun violence seen in New Zealand.
• Give police non-association powers to prevent gang members from communicating and planning criminal activity. 
• Allow police to issue dispersal notices where gang members come together in public to intimidate, threaten, and sometimes assault members of the public.
• Give police the warrantless search powers they need to take the guns out of the hands of violent armed gang members.

“National will restore law and order so New Zealanders feel safer.”