Todd Talks By Todd Muller

The Government has overseen a rapid increase in the number of people joining gangs since it took office, but it's no closer to achieving its promise of 1800 extra police on the beat.

The Prime Minister promised New Zealanders her Government would deliver 1800 additional police officers to the force. That is additional recruitment, accounting for police officers who leave each year.

The Government has been clear on this promise and it has been repeated numerous times by Police Minister Stuart Nash as well.

With gang membership on the rise and serious crime increasing, having these extra cops in our community is incredibly important.

But after two years, the Government has only managed to add 716. There's no way it can somehow add a further 1000 cops in less than a year.

Now Stuart Nash is simply counting every person who has been through the Police college and ignoring the many hundreds of experienced police officers who have resigned over the past two years.

It doesn't matter what the Government says, what new excuse it comes up with. The Prime Minister promised the New Zealand public 1800 additional police officers and she will fail to deliver on that promise. It doesn't have a plan when it comes to law and order.

In fact, the only policy it does have is to reduce the number of people in prisons, but it has no plan to reduce crime first.

Now more than ever it should be focused on ensuring there are enough police officers to stop criminals offending.

It is a slap in the face to the Kiwis who can see more gang members in their communities, but not enough Police on the streets to stop criminals offending.

National has always been the party of law and order. We're currently undertaking the largest policy development process by an Opposition ever, and when we earn the right to govern 2020, we'll be ready.