10. Police Resourcing—Community Policing and Crime RatesSTUART NASH (Labour—Napier) to the Minister of PolicePolice Resourcing—Community Policing and Crime Rates10. STUART NASH (Labour—Napier) to the Minister of Police: Does she agree with Local Government New Zealand President Lawrence Yule when he said that many local councils are now having to fund new safety measures to fill the gap left by a lack of resourcing for community policing"; if not why not?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health) on behalf of the Minister of Police: No. The police have always worked in partnership with our local communities and local government where appropriate including supporting local community patrols monitoring closed-circuit television (CCTV) and hosting volunteers in stations. This is a long-established partnership aspect of the policing model in New Zealand and it is greatly valued.Stuart Nash: Does she think it is appropriate and fair that the Hastings District Council has had to foot a million-dollar bill to install CCTV cameras and organise security patrols because police told them they have not been given the resources to respond to many crimes?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I would have to go away and check that statement but what I can say is that the allocated budget for the eastern policing districts increased from $51.9 million in 2010-11 to $55.2 million in 2015-16. In addition there is an extra 15 constabulary staff and of course an extra $24 million being spent on new police stations in that community in Hastings as well as Napier.Stuart Nash: When she responded to a previous question in this House regarding 18 councils' criticisms of police resources by saying "I would also remind them that there is a local government election going on this year." was she implying that those councils' concerns were not genuine and were just politicking?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: We stand by that statement.Stuart Nash: Can she confirm that according to Statistics New Zealand burglaries have increased by almost 8000—or 14 percent—this financial year to date?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Look the bottom line with the policing story is that there is more money more police hours less crime and actually higher public satisfaction with the performance of the police—and that is a documented fact.Stuart Nash: What is her answer to Lawrence Yule from Local Government New Zealand's question regarding councils having to fork out for security patrols: "Is it actually the role of local government or is this the systemic underfunding of the Police that has ended us up in this situation?"Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: It is exactly the same answer as was given to the primary question.Stuart Nash: Why does she think that assaults have increased by 6 percent and robberies by 10 percent this financial year to date?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: One would actually have to go and check those statistics; but what I can tell you is the only real fact here is that there has been a 50000 reduction in offences over the last 5 years and a 16 percent decrease in crime at the same time as there is over half a million extra police front-line hours being delivered per year. So draw your own conclusions on the link between those two."