The public has registered a vote of no confidence in Police Minister Poto Williams as youth crime spirals out of control.

The latest Newshub-Reid Research poll asked: Is the current Police Minister too soft on crime?

More than two-thirds - 68.3 percent - said yes, while just 18.3 percent said no.

Minister Williams doesn't think it's fair. She said to Newshub "For me, you're either soft or you're a thug or you're smart and I choose to be smart."

National Party Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell sees it differently and he joined Kerre McIvor.

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