Changes to policing in the South Wairarapa have been trialed for the last three months. Area Commander Brent Register said that the new roster has been working well with preventative tasks increasing and crime decreasing.
Historically Martinborough has been a sole charge station with the resident police officer on duty forty hours a week. This included working through to Midnight Sunday to Thursday and 2am Friday and Saturday.
If an event came in after those hours an officer was called out. Not necessarily Jaco as he may have been on leave etc. Rather an officer from Featherston, Greytown, Carterton, or it was attended by Masterton.
When the Martinborough officer was on annual leave or attending training, cover, when required, came from Greytown. There was a reciprocal arrangement for when the Greytown officer was absent.
Now rather than being on his own the Martinborough officer is part of a five person team who look after Featherston and Martinborough. This has enabled full active coverage to be extended to 2am Sunday to Thursday and 4am Friday and Saturday.
This results in Martinborough now being actively policed 137 hours out of each week’s 168 hours. After these hours Martinborough is covered by Masterton which works a twenty hour seven day week.
Commander Register emphasized that Martinborough’s popular police officer hasn’t moved. He stills lives in Martinborough – beside the Police Station which is NOT closing. He starts and finishes his work day in Martinborough.
