600 more frontline Police

National has released its policy on police numbers:

• recruiting and train 600 extra police officers from 1 January 2009. This is 224 on top of current plans.
• By 2011 having one police officer for every 500 residents, and keep this ratio as population grows
• 300 more Police in frontline roles in South Auckland (Counties-Manukau) by the end of 2010
• Cost $18.5 million
• Only 21% of new recruits under Labour have been allocated general frontline duties. All 600 under National will be allocated to the frontline with half going to South Auckland (Counties-Manukau).
• Roll out Canterbury’s persistent-offender programme, which targets crime families, to other districts, subject to a positive evaluation of the trial.

They also talk of focusing road safety on blackspots and at risk drivers, rather than blanket ticketing which has doubled under Labour from 560,427 to 1,038,109.