Clutha-Taieri area response manager Senior Sergeant Stan Leishman announced the additional staff yesterday, and told the Otago Daily Times they would comprise a detective and two ‘‘rural liaison officers’’.
Advertising for the detective role would begin next week, and the two rural officers were expected to join the station by the end of the year, as part of a continuing Government roll-out of 1800 additional officers.
The extra staff would bring the station above its listed complement of officers, and improve his team’s ability to combat organised and rural crime, and address a rise in child protection cases, he said.
Although Snr Sgt Leishman welcomed the boost to numbers, he said it would not lead to an increase in staffing for Balclutha to full 24/7 policing.
‘‘We’re not a 24-hour station, but we have always and continue to provide 24-hour cover for all incidents.’’
Last year Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker submitted a 1700-signature petition to Parliament seeking full 24/7 manning for Balclutha and it is now under consideration by the Justice Select Committee.
Mr Walker told the ODT the extra staff for Balclutha did not go far enough.
‘‘The community has been asking for a 24/7 manned police station.
‘‘This is a Band Aid solution and doesn’t go far enough. We need a 24/7 station so the community can feel safe and secure knowing police are on patrol overnight. I will continue to lobby for [this].’’
Rather than providing 24/7 rostered staff deployment, Snr Sgt Leishman said the new rural liaison officers would adopt flexible roles, in response to demand.
‘‘My aim is to deploy our new officers proactively to address the changing dynamics of the area. That will obviously include rural crime, but also road safety enforcement, organised crime and drug dealing, and community policing.’’
Despite an upsurge in awareness regarding methamphetamine use and related crime in the area, he believed South Otago remained a safe place to live.
‘‘The incidence of crime remains low, and I believe we retain a good relationship with our communities. That’s invaluable in fighting crime, and our new officers can only help that continue.’’
