Tararua District police warning for drivers

Police are warning drivers to slow down following several serious crashes around the country.

Opinion

By Senior Sergeant Carey Williamson, Tararua Response Manager

There have been several serious crashes around the country with multiple people losing their lives or suffering life-changing injuries and loss as a result. As always if you are on the road please reduce your speed, always wear your seatbelt, never use your phone while driving and don’t drink and drive.

Adhering to these four simple rules will reduce your chances of being involved in a crash and or greatly improve your chances of surviving a crash if you are involved in one.

With the longer finer days of summer, we see an increase in road maintenance and repairs on both our rural and highway networks.

Although roadworks and subsequent delays can be frustrating please adhere to the speed limits set to ensure your safety and the safety of others including those working on the roads.

Police in Dannevirke have seen an increase in burglaries at both residential and commercial premises over the last few weeks. These offences have been reported across the township and have primarily targeted small insecure items that are easy to walk off with.

This is a timely reminder to ensure that valuables are kept secure and out of sight, often removing the opportunity is enough to prevent a crime from taking place.

If you see anything suspicious or know anything about this offending please call 105 or stop in at the station and tell us about it.

At this time of the year, we have traditionally seen an increase in reported family harm and the adverse effects it has on people in our community.

If you are a victim of family harm or are concerned that someone else is please call police and report it. There are numerous agencies locally that can support families through family harm episodes to look for positive outcomes for those involved.

Since the Gangs Act came into effect on November 21, police have seized three items of gang regalia across the Tararua District.

As a result two men, one each from Dannevirke and Whanganui are facing charges in court. A conviction for this offence will see the item involved forfeited to the Crown and destroyed.

Finally, on the staff front in the Tararua District, we have Constable Matt Gilligan working in Dannevirke having taken up a fulltime position there, Matt joins us from Palmerston North. In Pahīatua Cory Edmonds had been relieving in a frontline role there but has now taken up a fulltime position, Cory is also transferring to us from Palmerston North. We welcome Cory and Matt to the team.