IR-01-24-23715
30 July 2024
Grant McNaughton
[FYI request #27517 email]
Tēnā koe Grant
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request dated 5 July 2024. You
requested:
How much does the average arrest cost, including police officer salary, legal
fees, cost of detention, and any other costs directly associated with the arrest.
Police does not hold costings/information about legal fees, costs relating to detention nor
any quantifiable costs ‘directly associated’ with an arrest. Police also does not record
‘average costs’ in relation to arrests. Not all costs that could be attributable to the end-to-
end arrest process are incurred by Police. Therefore, this part of your request is refused
under section 18(g) of the OIA, as the information requested is not held. However, in
regard to Police Officer salary, in the first year out of the Police College they are paid an
annual salary of $83,266 rising to $91,773 for an officer working in their fifth year1.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police
proactively releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the
public. An anonymised version of this response may be publicly released on the New
Zealand Police website.
Ngā mihi
Superintendent Dave Greig
Director Operational Capability
1
https://www.newcops.govt.nz/about-the-job/pay-benefits
Police National Headquarters
180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. Fax: 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz