Police stations open longer?

Rotorua Police Station. FILE

Rotorua residents may soon be able to receive help and advice at the police station counter on weekends, according to a senior officer.

It comes at a time when face-to-face services at police stations are being reduced nationwide.

Rotorua police crime and prevention manager Inspector Stuart Nightingale said he had been asked by the district commander to explore the feasibility of keeping the station counter open through Saturday and Sunday.

Members of the public can currently speak to an officer over the counter at the Fenton St station between 8am and 5.45pm on weekdays.

Mr Nightingale said Rotorua was a popular place for visitors and it made sense to be available when people needed them most.

"We've just widened our opening times to increase our availability to the public. It may even include weekends, which is still to be confirmed."

"Of course, the front counter is the most visible part of the station."

A recent change in opening hours actually cut daily access time by 15 minutes, but Bay of Plenty Police communications manager Kim Perks said the new hours reflected demand for access later in the day.

Anyone who wishes to speak with an officer out of hours can visit the 24-hour custody centre, located at the back of the Fenton St station.

Since 2009, 30 police stations across the country have closed, and many others have seen their opening hours reduced.

Officials have said these changes freed up officers to work on the beat.

However, critics argue that station closures and reduced hours are a symptom of centralisation that could hinder effective policing.

When the $18.3 million upgrade to the Fenton St station was announced in 2010, Rotorua police inspector Bruce Horne said it would prioritise "service first" and aim to improve accessibility to officers.

Rotorua MP Todd Mclay said he thought the city's police had "got the mix about right" in terms of allocating resources, and the good job they were doing had been noticed by residents.

But while he appeared to be in favour of increased opening hours at the station counter - "If the police believe it is useful, I support them in that" - he was keen to stress the role of front line policing.

"I think what's most important is that the police are available in our community. Crimes are not solved by sitting behind a desk."