The Labour Party is promising to reopen community policing kiosks throughout the country, if it wins power at next year's election.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
In mid-October, the party pledged to increase the number of police by 1000 if it was voted into office next year.
Now, it says it wants to reopen 23 community police "kiosks" listed as temporarily closed, making the promise after its comprehensive win in yesterday's Mt Roskill by-election.
Labour police spokesperson Stuart Nash said the whole policy package would cost about $180 million a year.
"I would like to see a kiosk in every distinct shopping area. They could be manned by volunteers with an officer in charge who doesn't have to be there the whole time.
"But if you've got a fully-branded police presence that not only adds to the safety of the area, but also the confidence of the customers to come and visit.
"In a nutshell, communities feel safe, police build a connection with the community they share, they have a much better understanding of the dynamics within the community and I think it's just optimal for the overall policing in our community in general," Mr Nash said.
Police Minister Judith Collins said the kiosks were only temporarily closed while a review was being conducted.
They were shut after a volunteer was assaulted at one last year, which sparked the review, she said.
Despite the closures, members of the public could still contact the police and arrange to meet an officer, she said.
Ms Collins said it was important to remember community policing centres were run by volunteers and were different to police stations.
The New Zealand Police Association said it doubted whether Labour's plan would be the best use of resources.
Its president, Chris Cahill, said the kiosks could be useful, but staff needed to be mobile rather than being in one place
