The previous Police Minister's defending a halt on training new officers between March and September

A source has told our newsroom the delay is the result of Police Minister Poto Williams denying an advance of a five-year budget funds from the 2017 Government.

In a statement, Poto Williams says fewer people have left the police force in recent years, meaning there's less need for new recruits.

Her predecessor Stuart Nash says the budget funding was for 18-hundred officers -- and the government's already surpassed that.

He agrees with Williams' statement -- saying there's always a need for new officers, but there's not enough leaving the force.