Government still lying about 1,800 more Police

Newshub reports:

Winston Peters says the Police Commissioner was “wrong” to say the Government’s target of 1800 new police included attrition, or officers that will leave over time.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush appeared before the Justice Select Committee on Thursday and was asked by National MP Brett Hudson to clarify confusion over the Government’s target.
Hudson asked Bush: “Do you stand by that the target for 1800 police is 1800 new police and that includes the fact that some will leave over a period of time?”

The outgoing Police Commissioner replied, “Yes.”
That’s despite the Government appearing to change the target last month to 1800 graduates, not taking into account attrition, causing confusion about exactly what the policy is.
In Parliament on Thursday, National leader Simon Bridges asked the Prime Minister if there are now two different new 1800 police targets.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, standing in for Jacinda Ardern, pointed to New Zealand First’s coalition agreement with Labour where the policy came from.
“Strive towards adding 1800 new Police officers over three years,” it says.
“There was never anywhere a statement being net new – words matter,” Peters said. “What the coalition agreement says is to strive to ensure that there are 1800 frontline new police.”
Bridges pointed to the comments made at the Justice Select Committee where the Police Commissioner agreed that the target included attrition, or net referring to the amount left over after all deductions are made.
“As much as I admire Police Commissioner Bush, by adding the word net, he got it wrong,” Peters said.

The Government is really treating the public as dumb fucks, with this insistence the 1,800 target wasn’t for additional officers. Of course it was.