Mark Mitchell: Police Minister on the rise in anti-Police violence, tougher sentencing

The Police Minister says recent incidents where vehicles have been driven into officers are part of a rise of anti-Police violence. 

An officer has moderate injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Huntly on Wednesday night. 

It comes weeks after Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming was killed, and another officer was injured after being struck by a vehicle in Nelson on New Year's Day. 

Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking these kinds of incidents are happening more often around the world, including here in New Zealand. 

He says overall, the type of violent offending Police and first responders are having to deal with has been growing over the years. 

The Government is promising tougher sentences, Mitchell saying he’ll be introducing a bill to address these types of incidents by the end of next month. 

He says the bill will introduce tougher sentences, require cumulative rather than concurrent sentences, and clearly define emergency service workers. 

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