The Government is celebrating the addition of 1800 newly qualified police officers, however it is a target that has come under fire for not taking into account attrition.
The overall increase to police staff numbers was 1000 in that time frame, with the number full time police constabulary being 9838.
The Government coalition agreement with NZ First stated it would "strive towards adding 1800 new police officers over three years".
In June, Police Minister Stuart Nash told media the 1800 figure was "aspirational", estimating only 650 had been added.
Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told the House the 1800 figure referred to trained recruits, instead of active police.
The Government today, announcing it had achieved its target, saw Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying 1825 new police had been deployed "all over the country since October 2017".
Mr Nash said of the most recent police graduation, "42 per cent of this wing are women, 15 per cent are Māori, five per cent Pasifika and five per cent Asian.
"The youngest is 18 and the eldest is 40."
In October, National hit out at the police number target with Brett Hudson saying the Government promised to increase the number of police officers by 1800, on top of attrition.
Mr Hudson called it a broken promise.
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