National to set up Auckland Transport police team if re-elected

The National Party will set up a dedicated Auckland Transport police team if re-elected.The policy announcement coincides with the opening of the City Rail Link (CRL) on Sunday morning, which is expected to increase peak commuter capacity through the city centre by around 50 percent.National would recruit 50 new officers for the team and police would received $7 million per year from Budget 2027.Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell said the team would boost the visible police presence in trains, buses, ferries, stations and transport hubs."Police should be where people are. As more Aucklanders use public transport, it makes sense to have more police on the network."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 said.A policy statement released by the party said the team would focus on preventing anti-social behaviour, protecting passengers and staff, and responding quickly to incidents.It said the team would be established in Auckland first, but could be expanded to other cities if successful.