Fresh details have emerged of problems with police recruits following a damning internal report raising concerns about dangerously low training standards.
Information shows 64 charges have been laid against recruits in the past two years, ranging in seriousness from criminal to unprofessional.
It follows the release of a report that Police National Headquarters tried to keep secret - revealing the concerns of senior police college trainer and psychologist Senior Sergeant Iain Saunders.
Some recruits took three attempts to pass the entrance test. One had to be taught "how to write letters of the alphabet by drawing within bubble letters in the same style as a 5-year-old".
Information released under the Official Information Act reveals police investigated more than 60 allegations of misconduct against recruits at the police college in the past year.
Charges include assaults against fellow recruits and police officers, attempted burglary, academic dishonesty, bullying, exhibiting offensive material, fraud and failing to pay a taxi fare.
Police refused to reveal any more detail about the infringements because it might identify the recruits.
National's Chester Borrows described the report as "amazing".
He regarded the allegations against recruits as "worrying".
Police Minister Annette King has said it is not her job to screen recruits.
"It's just disgusting that she would try to slide out of responsibility for the standards of recruiting if she is the minister," Borrows said.
NZ First police spokesman Ron Mark said he had been aware "for years" that there were concerns within the police about lowering standards.
"I have heard anecdotal evidence from various officers... They were taking on recruits who didn't meet the standards required. I have heard of communication skills so poor that evidence had to be retaken by other officers. That's crucial."
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