Kapi-Mana News

Police base closure temporary

- KRIS DANDO

David Tuck said he was ‘‘sad and disappoint­ed’’ when told to lock the Titahi Bay community police base and hand in the keys.

Police say it is a temporary measure, in line with an audit of the safety of front counter staff, but Titahi Bay retailers and police volunteers are concerned.

Tuck said the base, opened in Whitehouse Rd in 2008, could be busy, with people regularly dropping in. He and wife Judy coordinate­d the volunteers to man it – two shifts on weekdays and on Saturday morning.

‘‘People liked having it there,’’ Tuck said. ‘‘To be told to hand in the keys was disappoint­ing and I’m sad. It came as a shock.’’

‘‘To be told to hand in the keys was disappoint­ing and I’m sad.’’

Titahi Bay Bakery owner Keith Cam said the shopping precinct was safer with the police base open.

‘‘The police are not around much, so it’s good having people there. We had windows broken all the time before the base opened.’’

Kapiti Mana Police area commander Inspector Paul Basham said it was incorrect to say community police bases were under threat.

‘‘Some premises are being audited in response to concerns raised by our staff last year,’’ he said. ‘‘Titahi Bay’s base has been temporaril­y closed in line with this approach.’’

The Waitangiru­a and Cannons Creek community bases would remain open when police staff were present, Basham said.

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