Government still lying over police numbers

The Herald reports:

Former Police Minister Stuart Nash told Newstalk ZB the Government had met the target of 1800 new officers, claiming there was a misunderstanding in the wording previously used.

There is no misunderstanding, only misinformation.

“This is funded out for five years, it always was and we more than delivered our promise,” Nash said.

“What we actually said is we would deliver 1800 new police and we delivered 2200 new police.”

This is bullshit.

The policy and promise was for additional police. Nash himself said so.

However, at the Police Association’s national conference in October 2019, Nash was quoted the opposite when asked for clarification.

“Eighteen hundred more police, over and above the current rate, not 1800 more graduates, 1800 new police,” he said.

They know they are lying when they claim it was “new” police not additional.