Kawakawa’s full complement of police, from left, Constables Julian Trinder, Damian Bath, Jordan Fraser, Alexis Chapman, Sergeant Mark Barratt, Maurice Cooper, Warren Dunn and Sergeant Phil Le Comte, with Whangārei’s Elyse Lewis and police dog Mist in front. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kawakawa’s full complement of police, from left, Constables Julian Trinder, Damian Bath, Jordan Fraser, Alexis Chapman, Sergeant Mark Barratt, Maurice Cooper, Warren Dunn and Sergeant Phil Le Comte, with Whangārei’s Elyse Lewis and police dog Mist in front. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kawakawa police are celebrating their return to full staffing for the first time in at least two years.
The Kawakawa station lost its sergeant, a number of constables and its front desk staff in 2016 after a roster change and years of frozen police budgets.
However, the new government's boostto police funding, a major recruiting drive and a new 24-hour roster for the Mid North mean the station has its own sergeant again along with seven frontline constables. It is also the base for a senior sergeant, a youth officer and a community constable.
To mark the turnaround Kawakawa police invited the public in to meet the new officers and take a look around the station. They also put on police dog demonstrations and a free sausage sizzle.
Acting Sergeant Mark Barratt said about 100 people attended the open day.
''They were stoked to see there's a full team here again. This is what the community has been asking for.''
Having police on duty through the night allowed faster response times and had already led to a number of burglary arrests, he said.
Kawakawa Business Association chairman Malcolm Francis, who owns Hammer Hardware, said the community had been noticeably short of police since staff were concentrated in Kerikeri about two years ago.
He was taking a wait and see approach to promises of new staffing levels.
''The proof will be in the pudding ... but if it goes anything like they say it will, it's going to be awesome.''
Under the 24-hour roster introduced in July, Kawakawa, Kaikohe and Kerikeri take turns providing night-time cover for the Mid North.
Police have yet to decide whether to hire someone to man the front desk at Kawakawa. In the meantime the station, on Albert St, will be open between 7am and 4pm as long as police are present. Otherwise visitors can use an intercom by the door to contact the police communications centre.
