Larry Williams Drive

The new Police Minister hopes to produce a package of options to tackle gang problems in coming weeks.Chris Hipkins picked up the portfolio last week after Poto Williams.Gang tensions have been surging in Auckland, with a series of drive by shootings - alongside a plague of ram raids by very young offenders.Hipkins told Heather du Plessis-Allan they want to move quickly.“We are looking at the moment around what the legislative settings are to make sure that the police have got all of the legal options that will usefully help them to crack down on the harder end of criminal offending, particularly around organised crime.”He says they'll start by looking at young people who aren't engaged in education, employment or training.“That number of young people has been growing in recent years. If we get them re-engaged, we know they’re less likely to find themselves on a pathway that leads them to further trouble.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.