8. Question No. 8—PoliceCHRIS BAILLIE (ACT) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 8—Police8. CHRIS BAILLIE (ACT) to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by his statement that What I'd say to the gangs get your bloody patches off"; if so has he seen reports of how many gang members have taken their patches off?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Immigration): on behalf of the Minister of Police: To the first part of the question he stands by his full statement on Sunday: "Get your bloody patches off. Go and get a whole lot of wheelbarrows and shovels and start helping people as opposed to adding to already super-high levels of stress." He also noted that he would go back and be assured that there was a strong police presence to deal with community concerns. Since then I'm able to confirm to the House that police will have a total of 145 additional staff deployed across the eastern district that police report that crime in the area is within a normal range for the eastern district; however this is obviously amplified for a community that is feeling very vulnerable. To that end police have had high visibility and a strong reassurance focus in addition to responding to calls from the public. For example in the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. this morning police conducted 565 prevention activities including reassurance patrols and proactive engagements with storm-hit communities. Police staff are prioritising taskings to contact those also from the uncontactable list which I'm sure we all understand is one of the most pressing needs at this time. In answer to the second part of the question no.Chris Baillie: What does it say about this Government's record on law and order that the police Minister has been reduced to begging gang members to be nice and isn't it time to send in our armed forces to assist police like Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise has been asking for?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I reject the premise of the member's question. As I responded in my primary answer on behalf of the Minister of Police police have been conducting a significant amount of work to provide reassurance and support to the people of storm-hit regions at a time of extreme stress. New Zealand defence forces continue to play an important role in the region but will stand by the police who have the expertise to work with communities and provide that reassurance at a difficult time—will stand by them and not further make the situation difficult by whipping up hysteria.Nicole McKee: What does he say to Grant Porter from Napier who told the media "The gangs are coming in or looters in general. They're threatening people stealing their stuff. We are very scared. People are very scared."; and does he believe it's important to believe the victims of crime?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I absolutely believe that it is critical to believe the victims of crime and that is why it is exceptionally important at all times but particularly in a time of extreme distress for many people such as now in the storm-hit regions that we adequately support police to be able to get out on the ground to prevent crime and provide reassurance to the communities. In my primary answer I've outlined the significant amount of police work that police have under way in that area. We'll continue to support police in that operational response and our Government will also continue to support police by building their numbers which have increased by 1700 since we came to office.Nicole McKee: Who is correct: is it the Napier mayor and the Hawke's Bay chamber of commerce chief executive officer who say they need armed forces or is it the Police Commissioner who is gaslighting locals by telling them that they don't know what's going on and that he knows better?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I believe that the comments of the member in respect of the commissioner's approach to these issues are unhelpful intemperate and incorrect. The Police Commissioner has been working closely with the eastern district to ensure that there are sufficient officers on the ground including 145 additional officers who have been deployed into that community. No one including the Minister the Police Commissioner or local police has done anything to reject or downplay people's concerns about their safety. They have been putting resources in to provide further reassurance. Where crime occurs police are on the ground to support communities but as I have also said in the primary answer to this question police report that levels of crime are within a normal range. No crime is acceptable and at this time it is more stressful for communities. So we will continue to work to provide that reassurance.I would just urge all members of the House to support police in doing that job and not create a climate of hysteria that will add further to the distress of people in an already difficult situation."