Upper Hutt police station closed on weekends due to 'declining demand'

Upper Hutt Police Station has changed its opening hours. Photo / File

The Upper Hutt Police Station will be closed on the weekends, beginning next week.

A statement from police said the opening hours at the station would be changing from May 17, open 9am–5pm on weekdays and closed at the weekend.

The station is currently open 8am-7pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-4pm Saturday and Sunday.

They said the decision came from an operational review, and was driven by decreasing demand for service at the front counter in the evenings and on weekends.

Te Awakairangi Hutt Valley Area Commander Inspector Dion Bennett said it would balance the community's needs and the welfare and safety of sole staff members.

"Very few members of the public are visiting Upper Hutt Police Station at the weekend or later in the day," Bennett said.

"By closing at these times we can instead deploy our staff to times when it is busy."

Bennett said the change in hours would not affect the service the police gave to the community.

"Police will continue to work and be deployed from the Upper Hutt Police station 24/7," he said.

"What is changing is the public front counter will be closed on weekends.

"If you need to speak to Police and the matter is not urgent, please come and visit the station Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm."

Community leaders and local iwi from across Upper Hutt were consulted as part of the review that informed the changes.