WELLINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Provincial communities across all regions in New Zealand will benefit from the rollout of 1,800 extra police as the Commissioner of Police on Monday announced an increased number of officers throughout the country.
The Commissioner of Police has announced increased officer numbers of between 13 and 27 percent across 12 policing districts, based on factors like population growth, offending patterns and local priorities for crime prevention.
The commitment to strive for 1,800 extra frontline officers over three years represents "the single biggest investment in policing in our history," Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
It represents an increase in police constabulary numbers of around 20 percent, with a further 485 civilian staff providing back office support, Peters said, adding that some of the country's most neglected provincial areas are "finally getting the attention and support they deserve."
Police Minister Stuart Nash said that Monday's allocation plan finally allows the police to make real inroads into crime prevention in order to reduce victimization, lower reoffending and bring down imprisonment rates.
"It is particularly important to see a renewed focus on gangs and disruption of organized crime," Nash said.
