No budget cut but Police fine-tune support staff numbers

The New Zealand Police budget will not be cut this coming financial year but the organisation is planning some modest reductions in non-sworn support staff to live within its means, the Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, said today.

The Commissioner said that in keeping with his comments at a Select Committee earlier this year, Police were making provision to live within its means with modest reductions to internal budgets.

Cost centre managers in the organisation have been tasked with finding savings of 3% operating and 4% non-sworn personnel as we work towards completing our internal budget build  for the next financial year.

"These savings are predicated on achieving a very modest wage round settlement and gaining agreement to changes to the compounding competency service increment arrangement contained within our collective agreement," said Mr Marshall.

"In terms of non-sworn support staff positions that will be impacted, we expect that the number will be around 125.  However, the organisation was carrying around 75 vacancies so the task would be achievable with a minimum of difficulty.

"I want to stress that there is no intended reduction in the constabular headcount and frontline service delivery will not only continue to be maintained but will be enhanced.

"We are making a number of other organisational changes involving some centralisation of file management, HR and Finance functions.    These are all intended to help the frontline do its job.

"Clarity about the impacts of non-budget driven changes on the non-sworn headcount will be available in the next month or two.   Such changes need to be seen within the context of over 3000 non-sworn positions.   The majority of those 3000 positions would be untouched," said Mr Marshall.