National wants more police around public transport

National says, if re-elected, it will establish a dedicated Auckland Transport police team to help keep Aucklanders safe as the City Rail Link transforms the city’s public transport network, National’s police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“The City Rail Link will increase peak commuter capacity through the city centre by around 50 per cent,” Mitchell says. “That means more Aucklanders relying on public transport every day, and later services.”

Mitchell says commuters should feel safe catching public transport and police presence will help that.

“A visible police presence helps deter offending before it occurs, reassures passengers and transport staff, and ensures rapid intervention when something does go wrong,” he says.

National says police will receive an additional $7 million per year funded through Budget 2027 to recruit an additional 50 sworn officers to monitor transport.

“Auckland Transport’s staff already do important work keeping the network running safely, but they do not have the powers of sworn police officers,” Mitchell says.

“The City Rail Link is a gamechanger for Auckland, and this policy will help ensure people feel safe using it – it’s a small part of National’s plan to fix the basics and build the future.”