Our top cop steps down for capital job

Brent Register

Wairarapa's top police officer is stepping down to take up a leadership role on a national project at police headquarters in Wellington.

Wairarapa's Area Commander, Inspector Brent Register, 38, is leaving to take on the role of operational change leader for the police's human resource management information system project in Wellington next week.

Mr Register said after four years it felt like time to move on.

"I'm pretty sad to leave such a great community but I've completed almost four years so it's time for someone else to lead the police in the Wairarapa."

Although his new role is not a formal promotion in terms of rank, it represented a great opportunity to lead a nationwide project, Mr Register said.

"It's a chance to run a national project that you wouldn't get as an area commander. I'm excited about the chance but I'll miss working with all the great people in the community agencies we deal with."

He will be leading the operational side of the project, which is replacing the payroll, rostering and scheduling systems for police nationwide.

With his children attending school in Masterton and the family living in Greytown, Mr Register plans to join the many commuters making the daily trip over the hill for work.

One of the achievements he is most proud of during his time leading the force here was the way staff handled the Carterton balloon tragedy, he said.

Other highlights included working successfully with community groups and the decline in the rate of recorded crime.

A replacement has yet to be hired, but any incoming commander would need to appreciate the rural nature of the district, he said.

"We are a rural area and what works in the big metro cities often doesn't work in the rural areas."

Senior Sergeant Mike Sutton will be filling in as area commander until a replacement is found.