Masterton's new police station will cost just over $7 million and is due for completion by the end of next year. The details were announced by Police Minister George Hawkins yesterday. "The current station is too small, too old and is spread-out among a number of buildings on the current site. Itdoes not meet current policing requirements," he said. "Police have made a strong case for a new station and I'm delighted to sign off on the substantial budget needed to build it." The new station will be built on land next to the present station, which until now has been used as a public car park in Church Street. Masterton District Council will be developing an adjacent piece of land into a new public car park. Mr Hawkins said the Masterton station plans were part of a government commitment to properly resource police. "The annual Police budget is now over a billion dollars, which is $280 million more than when we came into government in 1999. "Police have responded to that investment by dramatically cutting crime and the road toll over the last six years. They do a terrific job and deserve every encouragement that the Government and the community they serve can offer them. "Since 1999, we have built or rebuilt 19 police stations around the country and refurbished 48. By the time the Masterton Police Station is opened at the end of 2006, we will have built almost 30 new police stations. "Under this government, annual expenditure on police buildings is now averaging over $14 million. Under the last National government it was under $1 million," he said.
