Police keen to put you in cell - but it'll be fun

ARRESTING SIGHT: The Whangarei Police Station will be open for public inspection this weekend.PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Ever wondered what the inside of a police cell looks like?

This weekend, those Northlanders who have not had the pleasure of spending a night at a local police station will have the chance to get a first-hand look at how a station operates.

Northland police are opening the doors of four stations to the public during a nationwide open day on Sunday.

The Whangarei, Dargaville, Kerikeri and Kaikohe stations will be open from 1pm-3pm.

Northland police district commander Superintendent Russell Le Prou said the public would be able to see what a modern police service looked like.

"We want to show Northlanders some of the tools and methods we use to prevent crime and road trauma and how we work together with communities and other agencies to ensure the community feels safe and is safe," he said.

The Whangarei station houses the district command centre (DCC), which is the heartbeat of Northland policing, allowing senior officers to see where their cars are and unfolding crime or emergency events.

"The DCC oversees and monitors many of our prevention tactics and ensures Northland police is ahead of the game in preventing crime and ensuring less victims. On our open day, the public will be able to see first-hand how the DCC operates."

People will be able to meet local officers, and the stations will have guided tours, patrol-car displays and giveaways. Anybody wanting to take part in the open day can turn up at any of the four stations on Sunday from 1pm.