Steadily climbing crime is being blamed for dramatically slower police responses to major call outs.

Wait times in Auckland have increased from less than half an hour to almost two hours over the past five years.

Police Association President Chris Cahill says staff numbers have risen by 1300 since 2017.

But he told Simon Barnett and James Daniels demand has also ballooned.

“There’s been a 60 percent increase in family harm incidents attended and equally a 60 to 70 percent increase in mental health crises incidents that police have had to attend.”

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