Judith Collins has attacked John Key and Bill English saying they have held back on funding extra police for the last six months.
Ms Collins says she's been asking for more police on the beat but says it is still a decision for the Prime Minister and his deputy.
"I need more police, I absolutely need more police but it's not just me that needs them, the country needs them and they need them now," she said.
As part of her bid for the role of Prime minister - Ms Collins needs to take out front-runner Bill English who has the Minister's endorsement. But says it's those two who've kept her from upping police numbers.
"I've been working on that since June and I've been waiting for that to happen," she said.
In August, Ms Collins admitted there weren't enough cops on the street, then in October after Labour and NZ First released policy promising to boost numbers - she strongly hinted that a substantial boost to police numbers was on the cards.
At the time she said she'd been in discussions with the leadership about more cops since June, but said it was an announcement for the Prime Minister to make.
There has been no announcement.
Newshub.
