Editorial: Thin blue line can't get skinnier

Linda Hall.

I can see why Central Hawke's Bay people are upset that there was no police officer on duty on Sunday night.

And I understand why people are up in arms over the move to centralise police cells and "downsize" the Napier police station.

However, if centralising police cells means that there are more police on the beat in Napier than it's not all bad.

We definitely don't want to lose the Napier police Station. Clive was bad enough.

Napier is a tourist destination and we need those tourists to be able to see a police presence and find a friendly copper when they need one.

Isn't that what everybody wants - more police on our streets?

As for "amalgamating" our courts, now that's a very bad idea.

It already takes months for some cases to be heard. Imagine what would happen if there was just one court to hear them.

We need to pick our battles and if we have to compromise on the cells in order for places like Central Hawke's Bay to be fully policed maybe it's a small price to pay.

CHB Mayor Peter Butler was upset that there was "13,000 people and no policemen for six hours", and who can blame him?

He has been assured that in three weeks a new system would be rolled out to address police staffing and that it won't happen again.

Let's hope that's true because, you can be sure that if the criminals find out there are no police on duty they will take advantage of the situation.