1 in 4 police recruits failed exams: NSW Opp

The New South Wales Opposition has accused the State Government of playing politics with police numbers.

The NSW Opposition has obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act, which they say paint a worrying picture of police training.

They say the documents show that one in four recruits in from the Police Academy's class of 2007 failed their first on-the-job exam.

NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell says the recruits were denied crucial training.

He says the State Government rushed the recruits through as a way of boosting police numbers during an election year.

"The Iemma Government put politics ahead of community safety as it cut corners to boost numbers ahead of last year's election campaign," he said.

"Most of the recruits were allowed to re-sit the exam, and have since passed."

But NSW Acting Police Minister Matt Brown says his figures show around 11 per cent of probationary constables failed their first exam.

"Many of those probationary constables have gone out, done their training in the area commands and are fully-qualified constables and I give them full credit," he said.

"If a few of them did fail and they wanted to resit their test, well that's not the first time this has happened."