Hawke's Bay police opening hours could be slashed in cost-cutting which includes the loss of four support-staff positions.
The steps were confirmed yesterday by police Eastern District commander Superintendent Sandra Venables, announcing also that a single Hawke's Bay holding-cell block is likely to be created in Hastings as part of rationalisation aimed at meeting budget constraints.
No police officer jobs were affected by the cuts, she said, although a frontline-staff review was under way to see how resources could be used "more efficiently" and some roles might change.
The positions affected are mainly administrative with some jobs changing from full-time to part-time - 9.5 full-time equivalent positions being disestablished and replaced by 5.5.
Loss of some counter service at Napier Police station was reported in August and, yesterday, the prospect of anything other than 24/7 manning of the shop-front was immediately targeted by Hawke's Bay opposition Labour MPs Stuart Nash, Napier, and Meka Whaitiri, Ikaroa Rawhiti.