Guess how many extra frontline police we`re getting - it's not 1000, it's not even 200

Righto. To get 1000 extra police over the next three years, as per the New Zealand First coalition agreement, assuming they want frontline police, we will need to encourage most of the 350 police that quit the force each year to stay on. Otherwise, over the next three years, we need to train more than 1000 police just to cover the police that leave each year if the attrition rate is constant- and then 1000 more on top of that to get the increase.

About 400 -600 police officers get trained each year at the Police College.

Due to the numbers leaving the force each year, our annual increase is more likely to be between 25 and 225 sworn officers. Probably closer to 25 than 225.

There are, according to page 96 of the police Annual Report7527 sworn police officers. (hat tip Rodney Hide)

NZ First had originally promised to double the police force over the next five years meaning frontline police. To just double the amout of sworn officers in five years would require an extra 1850 police every year, starting with a 25 percent increase in the force during the first year.

But NZ First has been duped as it is not going to get the 1000 extra police - or is it extra "sworn police", or is it "extra staff" - that was part of their coalition agreement. Winston is too busy to notice, being the Minister of FA.

Someone needs to ask a question in Parliament as to how many sworn police leave the force within each of their first three years after graduating, and how many of the remaining are on ticketing duty. We are only guaranteed a minimum of 75 extra officers in the next three years and I`d guess that we lose at least 75 trainees within three years, either due to them leaving or not joining up after graduating from Police College.