Police have refused to release documentation relating to their 24/7 coverage in the Selwyn district.
And they say reports, business plans, surveys and studies undertaken by police or done for police that led to the model don’t exist.
The Selwyn Times made an Official Information Act request for the information in May. Police had 20 working days to respond, but asked for more time shortly before deadline, citing they were in consultation over the request.
But they failed to make the next 20-day deadline completely. When the Selwyn Times questioned why, police said they were still in consultation. Four working days later (July 25) police responded, declining the OIA request. The Selwyn Times has complained to the Ombudsman about the response.
In their decision, police said internal reports and emails sought could not be released as it would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial. They also said a business plan and other planning documents did not exist.
The six-month trial of the 24/7 model officially began on May 1. It has led to officers being withdrawn from some stations in the district and based at Selwyn headquarters in Rolleston.
Police chiefs say the new strategy involves public safety teams operating a 24-hour roster from the Rolleston station across most of the district. Darfield’s staffing was unchanged because of its distance from Rolleston.
The Selwyn Times has been told police staff asked for a public safety team to consist of five constables and a sergeant. But it was settled on with four constables and a sergeant. That number can drop if staff are away.
There also appeared to be a question over when discussions and planning started for the 24-hour model.
In August last year, the Selwyn Times reported there were plans to withdraw officers from the Lincoln and Leeston stations to bolster Rolleston.
In late 2019, police had confirmed a review of staffing was under way and could not rule out cutting numbers at some stations to bolster a 24-hour, seven days a week service.
But in August police said: “There is no plan to do anything to the Lincoln station or anywhere in Selwyn. There is no proposal, there is nothing to see. We talk about things, we talk about the best things to do with our staff. If there was ever a proposal to change things, the first people to see it would be the staff and, all due respect, it wouldn’t be a media alley.”
Questioned about that response again, police said they were “accurate at the time of reporting.”
“Formal planning for a 24/7 trial began early this year,” police said in an emailed statement.
