Confidence in police at record low

It is very sad, but not toally surprising, that public confidence in the police has fallen under Labour from 71% to 53%. This is not a minor decline but a cataclysmic drop. The have dropped from top place (where police should be) to behing small businesses and primary schools.

What is very sad with this drop, is that fundamentally we still have one of the best police forces in the world. Our level of corruption is minimal compared to almost all overseas forces. Most officers are totally honest and dedicated.

I have no doubt that the change George Hawkins introduced, where police were made to change their road safety enforcement from targetting high risk drivers to targetting all drivers, has been a major factor in the decline. Turning the Police into revenue collectors has been a disaster for public confidence in the police. It says the Government has no confidence in the ability of the Police to use discretion, so why should the public?

The incompetence of the Minister is surely a factor also. Helen Clark has had numerous opportunities to replace George Hawkins but has not done so. The message that sends out to the public, is not one of confidence.