Introduction

Policing is about providing the law and order underpinning on which successful societies flourish. In this briefing we point to pressures on frontline service delivery and investigations, emergent issues such as new crimes and security threats, and a need for a longer-term investment strategy in policing that avoids 'boom' and 'bust' cycles, and enables more coherent resource and deployment planning.

The briefing also links to the two priority themes contained in the Ministry of Justice sector briefing of Justice Sector Capability and Capacity, and Justice Sector Collaboration and Co-ordination. The briefing will not duplicate the more general police organisational information set out in the Statement of Intent, the Annual Report, and Police Strategic Plan to 2006. The development of the next police strategic plan from 2006 is currently underway and we welcome the Minister's input.

There are a number of briefings that the Minister will likely expect in the first weeks of office. In this document the headline issues are noted, and we welcome the opportunity to make arrangements for topic experts to brief the Minister directly on these matters, in particular:

• The need to progress the Police Amendment Bill (No 2);
• Financial projections, including a wage round in 2006 and the impact of the Holidays Act;
• New statutory appointments are due in 2006;
• Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct;
• Police recruitment in the tightening labour market; and
• Custody management of prisoners.