North Shore police to move to Albany

By STUART DYE

Police on Auckland's North Shore will move to a new control centre in Albany.

The largest station to be built for almost 10 years will house most North Shore police, who will shift from the present centre in Takapuna.

Police Minister George Hawkins cited population changes, the unsuitability of the present centre and Takapuna's traffic congestion as reasons. He said the move would improve police response times.

"Crime happens where people are located. Not all criminals are industrious people. Some of them are lazy and like to find crime opportunities in their area.

"It's a case of looking at what the reality is and moving to meet it."

Mr Hawkins said a site had yet to be selected. He was unable to say what the station would cost for commercial reasons.

Stations would remain at Takapuna, Glenfield and Browns Bay, plus community bases at Devonport, Sunnynook, Northcote, Birkenhead and Beach Haven, he said.

The new centre is in addition to the Government's plan to spend $60 million on police capital works in the next five years.

Police have 217 staff on the North Shore, where the crime rate is one the country's lowest - about 900 offences per 10,000 people.