For example, nightshift public safety teams are certain of the “real” front line on which they invariably encounter gangs, drunken brawls, shootings, ram raids, fleeing drivers, family harm and the like.

When politicians enter the definition of “frontline” debate, their take is obviously influenced by party policies and whether they are in government or in opposition. Law and order is an election perennial, always ripe for the picking and with current budget constraints, even more so.

However, it’s not the frontline numbers that are in immediate danger; it’s the so-called “back room”, or “back office” roles that are increasingly deemed dispensable.

We see constant reference to Police employees (non-sworn) who perform “backroom jobs”, and this incessant grading of importance must be called out as incorrect and ignorant of the reality that without Police employees, the front line could not function. That’s a threat to officers and the public. 

Policing relies on an array of crucial, non-sworn teams. Kiwis confronted with emergencies will be very familiar with the call takers there to calm callers and elicit critical information. They are very much on the front line. There are the dispatchers who co-ordinate emergency responses; the trainers who ensure officers are fit to face a vast array of risks; the authorised officers (AOs) who manage the most difficult prisoners including the countless in mental distress and who shouldn’t even be in a police cell.

Our justice system relies heavily on Police employees. How will the worst of offenders be held accountable if file management centre staff are not inputting details in court files or collating the countless reports required in criminal cases? What about the prosecutors who are the voice of all those victims in the courtrooms?

It is the frontline support officers who are the oil that keeps the Police machine going, and in so many small communities they are the face of policing.

Daily headlines of successful drug seizures or restraining of assets from organised crime groups wouldn’t exist without crime monitoring centre staff or specialist AOs in asset recovery units.

There are more than 15,000 staff in Police. Let’s see them function without human resources or payroll staff.

Our Police employees are dedicated and committed to their communities and are critical to a fully functioning Police service.

The demographics of an ageing sworn constabulary, coupled with worldwide challenges in officer recruitment, will inevitably see more reliance on non-sworn staff. This will further blur the line between the two roles, resulting in a greater need for non-sworn staff to respond to demands currently met by sworn officers.

If we are to futureproof Aotearoa’s world-class police service, politicians and the public need to place more importance on the job security, pay and conditions of Police employees. They are crucial to achieving the aim of making Aotearoa the safest country.