5710 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Police

5710 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Police: What data or information, if any, does NZ Police keep regarding gang members charged or convicted of offenses, and does this information include 1. what gang the offender was a member of at the time of the offense, 2. when the offense occurred, and 3. whether the offense was of a violent or non-violent nature?

Hon Mark Mitchell: I am advised that as part of Operation Cobalt, Police has kept data regarding charges against gang members. This data is a running total broken down by district since the commencement of Operation Cobalt on 13 June 2022. It does not include specific details of the individual gang member. Note, these are dynamic figures obtained from a live, ongoing operation and it is not possible nor appropriate to breakdown the information to identify the specific gang, when the offence occurred, or if the offence was of a violent or non-violent nature. Police does not release detailed information held by the Gang Harm Insights Centre or relating to gang membership generally, such as a breakdown of data by gang, and only releases gang membership information at the police district level. This is for a range of reasons including the possibility that the release of such information may lead to a range of unintended consequences such as the creation of a competitive environment between gangs, provoking recruitment, and inter-gang rivalry. This could lead to perverse outcomes, such as an increase in serious offending and potential harm within communities. This is also my response to Written Parliamentary Questions 5711 (2024).