POLICE APPOINTMENT NOT AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 30, 17 January 1984, Page 1

POLICE APPOINTMENT NOT AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS

Police strength in the Waimarino has been boosted by the appointment of Sergeant Neil Coker of Wanganui as Waimarino sub-area supervisor. At the same time National Park will now be administered from Ohakune rather than Taumarunui. Sergeant Coker will take his appointment as soon the police house that was shifted to Ohakune from Raetihi is connected to services and the grounds completed hopefully sometime in February. Constable Kevin Entwisle is in Raetihi, Constables Jim Gosman and Mike Lockert look after National Park and Constables Marty

Sutherland and Brian Wilson work in Ohakune. Waiouru with Constables Brian Foote and Dave Glendinning will still be administered from Taihape. However, while the actual police presence in the Waimarino is back to the numbers that existed 2 years ago — 6 policemen — this is not as good as it seems, for two reasons. Firstly, a police sergeant's job is primarily administrative. Administration work from this area that was previously handled in Taihape will now be carried out by Sergeant Coker in Ohakune. Two years ago the Waimarino had 6 constables out on the job. Now we are only going to have 5 policemen "on the beat" even though the population of the area has increased considerably over the last two years. Secondly, the situation in

Raetihi is far from satisfactory. The town still only has one policeman. For about 20 years Raetihi had two constables. Just over 2 years ago, as the population was beginning to increase, the town was downgraded to one constable and that's how it's remained since. Until recently two policemen lived in Raetihi but one of them worked in Ohakune. When the present constable is on holiday or has days off the town has no resident policeman. The answer to this unsatisfactory situation lies in Wellington. Police throughout this area do the very best they can with the manpower and Jfacilities at their disposal. Until the government decides that the Police Department deserves more funds to carry out their role effectively, allocation of staff to adequately man places like Raetihi remains a problem.