Karori's Community Constable

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 15, 3 September 1985, Page 4

Karori's Community Constable

The Bulletin's roving reporter was in Wellington last week and took the opportunity to meet up with an 'expatriate' local identity who will be well known to the Waimarino community. Former Raetihi and Ohakune police constable Marty Sutherland is now Karori's community constable. Marty Sutherland said that his job was not what he had been expecting and the widely-publicised problems of establishing a community police station in a building

acceptable to the Karori community hasn't made his job any easier. Because of local objections to the use of a police house in Raine Street (from a community which had wanted and campaigned for a community constable!) Marty had to work from his own house for the first three months of his new appointment which he took up at the beginning of September last year. "It seems that everyone wanted a community constable in Karori but not next door or in their street," he said. The reason given was that such a station would become the focal point of all the undesirable elements in the community. After nearly a year this 'battle' has been resolved and the Raine Street building is to become the neighbourhood's community police station. Meanwhile, "thanks to the goodness of the Karori Progressive Association," Marty has had the use of part of the Community Hall in Beauchamp Street next door to the Post Office. Marty who has bought their own family home in Upper Hutt, at least has a base in Karori from which to work "even though it means I have to make a 44 mile return trip each day." As a community constable he doesn't drive around in a police car but gets a mileage allowance for his own private car. . .a Morris 1100. Marty who applied for this position of sole-charge community constable as part of his advancement in the police force — "it was a step up the ladder" — is disappointed at the apparent indifference and lack of active support he's been getting from the local community. "It gets pretty boring. . . in the last year I've had two police-related phone-calls,

I've taken two sets of finger prints, received eight missing persons reports and attended one domestic incident." "It was much busier and more interesting in Ohakune . . . in fact this would be considered to have all been in a day's work instead of a whole year." Marty can't understand the lack of interest. . . it's apparently different in the other three Wellington suburbs — Johnsonville, Miramar and Newtown — where community police stations are operating. "There are 28,000 people living in the Karori/ Makara area for which I'm responsible and they all know my hours and where to find me. I spend each morning out and about in the community visiting old people, calling on homes and then I'm in my office for about three hours every afternoon but I seldom get any visitors or phone calls."

"I also talk to Church groups as well as Scouts and Guides but I can't believe that there's no police and community-related matters of concern to so many people. They are just not taking advantage of my availability," he said. "I know there's quite a big glue-sniffing problem in the area and some glue addicts have had to be sent to the rehabilitation centre in Masterton to dry out." The most worthwhile part of his job are the popular Blue Light Discos which are held every third Friday of each month in the Karori Community Hall. Marty who is president of Karori Blue Light Incorporated, runs these discos in association with the local Lions Club and about 8-10 off duty policemen who all wear Blue Light T-shirts. "The hall is filled to capacity with 500-550 young people who pay $2 to get in and listen to music played over 1 ,000 watt amplifiers amidst smoke-bomb fog and strobe lights . . . there are usually 400 queued up when the door opens at 7.30!" Despite large notices reminding those entering the hall that no alcohol, no drugs and no violence will be permitted there are sometimes problems. . ."and usually with the girls," said Marty. "We have to search any large handbags for 'laced' coke and they've been caught trying to smuggle friends and grog in through the toilet windows. All the trouble with bad language also involves girls." "But most people abide by the rules and seem to enjoy themselves," he said.