Police have given an assurance the Mosgiel Police Station will be staffed overnight, following community concern, says Dunedin South MP Clare Curran.
Ms Curran was heartened by the response from the Southern District's top police officer to concerns about understaffing.
No officers were working in the Mosgiel area on January 26 when a Waipori resident called 111 after hearing dozens of gunshots about 2.30am.
The resident, Richard Mathias, was concerned for his safety and his neighbours, especially as the gunshots came 10 days after the St Leonards shootings, when two children were killed by their father.
Following the incident, which was reported in the Otago Daily Times, police maintained it was rare to have no-one working in Mosgiel overnight.
Ms Curran said she called a meeting with Superintendent Andrew Coster to raise her concerns.
The Southern District commander last month met Ms Curran and ''acknowledged there has been understaffing, with the Mosgiel police station not being staffed overnight for some time'', she said.
Supt Coster gave her a commitment the Mosgiel station would be staffed overnight.
''I feel heartened by that,'' Ms Curran said.
''But I would say to the community if they continue to have concerns to speak up.''
Supt Coster was unavailable for comment but a police spokesman confirmed the meeting between the commander and Ms Curran.
