A celebratory occasion for flashing lights and sirens - the North Shore has a brand new policing centre located at 52 Parkway Drive in Mairangi Bay, near Constellation Drive, Park and Ride.
Takapuna Area Commander Les Paterson says from 7am, Sunday 25th June, North Shore residents will be able to access the full range of police services from a central and easily accessed location with extensive public parking. The complex will be the base for around 200 staff and will operate 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Until then full police services are still available at Takapuna Police Station in Anzac Street, when it will then become a new Community Policing Centre similar to those that will continue to operate at Brown's Bay and Glenfield.
The North Shore Policing Centre will provide a base for CIB, Youth Aid, and Prosecutions. There will also be working facilities for other agencies such as truancy, victim support, Child, Youth and Family, Strengthening Families and other partner groups.
"This approach embraces a 'whole of policing model' allowing greater interaction between staff, thereby helping to ensure the efficient and effective management of police operations - effectively we have a one-stop policing centre with a great deal of community involvement and ownership," Inspector Paterson says.
The location of this modern, purpose built policing centre reflects changing demographic and population trends occurring on the Shore, and is designed to better meet community and policing needs.
"Over the last five years rapid population growth has placed the North Shore as New Zealand's 4th largest city with a population of 215,000 with the critical growth occurring north of Takapuna. In effect the North Shore has outgrown the Takapuna Police Station and we have had to respond to this pressure," Inspector Paterson says.
The North Shore Policing Centre is located close to state highway 1 and to state highway 18 leading to Waitakere city, enabling quick deployment of police vehicles. It is also located within five kilometres of most calls for emergency services.
Planning for the North Shore Policing Centre began in 1999 and is designed to serve the accommodation needs of the North Shore police for the next 20 years. Inspector Paterson is grateful for the support of local community leaders that has made the North Shore Policing Centre a reality.