Former Police Minister Judith Collins is denying police were put under political pressure to minimise burglary figures.
Judith Collins. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
The Herald on Sunday newspaper published details of an internal police report showing five officers in Counties Manukau reclassified about 700 burglaries over a four-year period as lesser incidents.
Ms Collins told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme the period in question was actually only 2012.
She said what was done by five police staff was not cooking the books to cut the crime statistics - because they had not actually reduced the crime figures.
"What they've done is they've ended up reducing the burglary stats for one particular area in Counties Manukau, and the five officers involved have all been disciplined."
Ms Collins says she is very annoyed and concerned by what happened.
