Should funding for local police departments be redirected to social and community based programs?

Yes, but still with a reasonable amount of funding towards the local police departments

Keep enough funding for the police but also fund social and community based programs to keep everyone safe and teach the right things.

No, they are underfunded. Their role should be redefined and unarmed community responders should be be included in policing.

Do not take money from the police departments, even provide extra funding if necessary, but also give more funding towards reconciliation and reintegration community programmes for criminals.

We need both

No, but additional funding should be sourced through tax reform that allows for taxes on wealth.

Yes, but in a staged process over a generation, not immediately.

NO, the funding should be keep to the police but we should raise funding for social and comunitity based programs

Both should receive equal funding as for some instances police intervention won't solve some problems and social based programs won't resolve others so both should receive funding and talks should be put in place to find what should e directed to what.

give more funding towards social and community based programs

targeted funding similar to Portugal re drugs. High crime areas still require a Police force.

Separate funds should be allocated for social programs and based on if they work or not should funding for police be reallocated.

they should work side by side so police understand community and other way around as well, same works for funding

Somewhat, social workers should be sworn in as police officers and focus on reducing reoffending and harm reduction.

If needed redirect only some to mental help programs.

No, but we should also increase funding for community based programs

Keep cops the same $$ but increase funding for social harm prevention programs

No, police ought to be trained to integrate with communities rather than to act as enforcers from outside.

Police need to ensure they retain social licence. It isn't only about funding. A complex issue that needs to be treated accordingly

there should be trained community responders to non violent calls but in higher crime districts and areas there should be a higher level of training particularly in deescilation

Social and community based programmes are important to strong communities but they have to exist and be functional.

Mix of both, let them interact together and build trust from each other, could limit racial profiling.

Yes and No. There needs to be more investment in mental health training but police still serve a purpose in our community.

This is too big a problem/ question. Both are linked. A long term strategy that outlasts politics is required

The police should be left to deal with crime and all mental and social issues should be left in the heath sector

Well it depends if the money is being spent wisely by the police or social programs in the local areas.

No, why fund the Police less and make things worse. Not everybody uses social/community based programs, so why defund something that helps everyone.

Funding social and community based programs is great as well however defunding the police completely isn't ideal

Have a balance of both in the community’s where social and community programs will have different set of skills that would be more useful than punishment as metal health can have massive consequences that can be solved with different ways instead of punishment by police

Have the police come to every call in case something happened but for non violent calls have community based responders come too that would help calm down the situation

I don’t think funding should be taken away from police however things like community support should be improved

Keeps police essential but with good resourcers. Invests in prevention without undermining safety.

Funding for local police is needed however there should be funding available for social and community programmes

I would say keep funding for local police departments but share some of that with important and beneficial social and community-based programs.

Funding should increase for social and community based programs, and the source of increased funding should come from less valuable parts of the police force.

Where funding is proven to prevent social issues it should be redirected to social and community based programs. Not all, funding. but some.

this is an unnecessarily controversial way to ask this question. Why do these need to be connected? Why not fund both adequately?

Community based funding, but also funding to increase training for policing in high crime rate communities, training that focuses on cultural, socio-economic position, mental illness and neurodivergence as an influence on crime.

no, crime rates are rising we need police around to response to situations. A non-violent call could turn violent.

It should be more towards police departments as they are key to protecting our country in a way, however there should be a good amount of money toward social and community based programs.

The policing system needs to be changed. such as mental health services being dispatched to mental health based calls. however funding should not be cut, the politics that run the system need to be changed

No, there should be no redirection of already existing funding but a separate increase to social and community based programs

Keep the police departments and their fundings, but also put money towards social and community based programs.

Both are necessary and we cannot put ourselves at risk by abolishing a necessary 'evil', aka protectors, because the force can be biased/corrept at times. Instead, up teaching, and increase screenings to check for mental illnesses/bigotry/sadism etc

We need higher police numbers for now, but more funding for social and community-based programs is also very important to reduce police workload.

I think that if we fund more police departments we would not have as much money for funding other things like schools or more important things in life.

The police department should be under review and potentially revamped as thus far, police have been largely incompetent.

Police has. A program and life sentence for crime sexual rapes case thief's more over local police shops investigation adds

The police of the base progress and independent with gears and legend former UK Prime minister's office dramatic and former US president Donald Trump talking white house issued

50/50 we should direct 50% to keeping a strong funding for local police departments but also 50% directed into community rehabilitation or learning and wellness.

Some funding should be diverted to increasing community based policing and other forms of public security which don’t involve shooting people dead because they’re brown.

There needs to be a balance between the two. NZ police are far less corrupt than America, I don't believe there is a need for defending the police but I do believe there should be more funding for community programs too

Yes, but stricter training and regulations should be imposed on police to create a better paid and more just/qualified police force.

I reckon share some funding between them. Like a partnership with expectations and guides that they both agreed upon

No, but we should also be funding local programs for education for those vulnerable to perpetrating crime

No, I agree with increase funding for social and community based programs but not at the expense of police funding.

Yes. Government and police should seperate since they are supposed to be public servants protecting the citizens not a corrupt govt pushing over reach of authority.

They should be more community focused, picking up rubbish, helping old people cross the street just more community focused rather than Only arrests

Police should be focused on growing and developing their communities. They are the face of laws our government creates and they’re job as keepers of the peace and law enforcement should reflect that. So yes there should be that funding but it should be the police doing that job so the public’s faith in them is restored.

Needs to be multi pronged however there needs to be a much stronger stance on the responsibilities of parenting and if people can't manage their own welfare they should not be allowed to repeat the cycle.

Perhaps funding into deep diving into the reasons our crime rate is so high and then looking at ways to save the future generations from following the same path

I think funding should be spread between local police departments and social and community based programs

Police should be equipped with more tools, rights and training so they can protect the community and themselves.

There should be a slight increase in the amount being funded for social and community based programs without affecting the police department too much

Front line police are spending a lot of time with people who need services the police are not equipped for (ie mental health). Having an emergency mental health service that can look after these cases will free up police to focus on more pressing call outs that they are best equipped to handle.

Police funding should stay for the Police but more funding should also be given for social and community based programs

Yes and give funding to the community educators and community groups to help resolve issues. let the locals deal with the locals they the people who live there so they know what's needed

should be directed to making therapy available to all along with kids spending more time with parents when young

Provide police with the resource to operate efficiently that allows them to do social based support work versus being the ambulance at the bottom for everything

yes, but also funding for qualified people who heal the situation. These people should work with the police.

An increase in community based programs is beneficial, including increasing iwi and Pasifika providers but it should not be at the cost of front line police officers

No I think it is important to retain local police departments but I also believe there is huge benefit for social and community based programs as well.

Increase funding for community based responses and availability of mental health nurses in all community departments

Funding for police should be given back to tax payers so communities can enforce their own peace keeping system

It shouldn't be an either or we should be investing in community and social programmes but realise that change is generational and police should be able to support the leadership of these

It could be worth trialing to see if the community program's are effective. I'd be in favor of government funding for community groups that already exist and are motivated by members of the community rater than the government themselves going in and running the program's. I'd imagine this would be more socially effective and more cost effective.

Yes, but direct the training toward better interactions and peaceful conflict resolution

Fund the police adequately to uphold human rights, prevent crime and maintain the peace. Fund mental health services adequately to support people who commit crimes because they are ill. Fund social security services to support people who commit crimes because they are desperate.

Keep police but redivert a small fraction of funding back into the community

Balance police and social programs

No, however, proportionate funding (to police) for social and community programs is required.

The police are successfully directing people into community support programmes. This should be continued. The police should not be the first port of call to deal with mental illness. The police should continuing supporting and partnering with proven community groups. But the police should be funded to protect and serve society and combat and reduce crime.

Have a balance of both community responders for nonviolent and police with communication skills and protective gear for violence

splits the costs

Depends on the circumstances - crime rate, types of crime, etc. - and only with strict training and in extreme circumstances e.g active hostage situation

Yes and use the funding for health and education.

Yes, Some of the police funding should be used for social and community based projects with emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation

A balance of both would be best

Not abolished but funding should be shared equal between all services

Somethings such as arresting for drugs should be turned to rehab instead of prison

No but social and community based programmes should be embedded within the police and other parts of the justice system

No, community programs should be funded in a different way

No, increases funding for social and community based programs without decreasing funding for police

Is this question based on NZ politics? Our police force, appear to do a better job at protecting communities than their overseas counterpart. This question appears to reflect problems overseas rather than NZ. But yes, community programs should be supported to reduce strain on police resources and promote better outcomes.

I think police need more funding to get involved in social and community groups to prevent crimes.

It should be an even tied stand

Perhaps not but police need much higher literacy standards and psychological testing before being given the job. They need to be held to a higher standard in their treatment of victims and to not make assumptions while being careless in their reports.

More should go into community programs, but not at cost of reducing police.

Both should have increased funding