Police Minister Mark Mitchell has expressed his support for police commissioner Andrew Coster and reassured he can carry out the Government's iron-fist approach to law and order.

Coster was appointed police commissioner in 2020 for a five-year term until April 2025. But there was speculation over whether he would be sacked when National was elected to office.

Mitchell yesterday said he had met Coster to agree on expectations and released a letter of expectations setting out National’s key policies, which include gang patch bans law changes to give police more search powers and stopping gang members from associating with each other.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning, Mitchell was asked if the letter of expectations was the next best option to sacking Coster.

“I think that we needed a reset because we've had six years where the previous Government were a wrecking ball in terms of public safety," said Mitchell.

"In comes a National Government, with the police commissioner the previous Government appointed. We've got a pretty serious agenda in terms of returning public safety, so I wanted to have a high level of confidence in the police commissioner."

Hosking asked if Mitchell did have confidence - to which the police minister confirmed he did and reassured he had faith he could carry out the expectations for the upcoming three years.

"He's fully aligned and on board with that, I'm meeting with the full executive this morning and I have full confidence they know what we want to achieve, and now we start working together on that."

Pushed to explain how Coster could become a lot harder on crime than previously evident, Mitchell reiterated that the commissioner had been serving under a government with policies "like handing over millions of dollars to gangs and emptying the prisons."

Mitchell said Coster deserved a chance.

"He's had a long career in police and some of those roles meant leadership roles in South Auckland," he said.

"He's been an AOS commander - so I respect that service and he's been given a chance under a National Government to lead the frontline, to support our leadership and start to deliver what we want."

Police Association president Chris Cahill spoke to Hosking after Mitchell and agreed most police officers would be enthusiastic about the "reset and focus", and that it would reflect their attitudes towards restoring law and order.

"What they want is what the public wants, which is to get out there and put some pressure on criminals and crime," he said.

"The challenge, of course, is who's going to do this stuff if we're losing cops to Australia."

Hosking pointed out the coalition Government had agreed to 500 new police officers joining the forces - but Cahill was less convinced.

"I'd like to have heard the word 'extra' in there," he said.

"We already get 450 new [officers] a year so that needs to be clarified it's extra, not just new."

Cahill backed Coster as the man for the job – saying he was "the man that's there" - and that the commissioner had a track record of providing ideas around prevention and long-term changes.

"What he's been told now is he's got to focus on the here and now," said Cahill.

“I want to see the letter of expectations going to the CEO of Oranga Tamariki. Because they need to step in and do their job - it can't just be police. I want to see the same letters being published as well."