Big new police hub for Ka¯piti

A recruiting drive will be under way soon to fill 120 new jobs at the police’s new non-emergency communications and digital centre to be set up on the Ka¯ piti Coast.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the new roles had been established as part of a wider project to improve the way police provided its service to the public.

Police define a non-emergency call as one from the public reporting a non-urgent crime where there is no immediate danger.

The new communications hub in Paraparaumu will be the first point of contact for many members of the public, and will play an important role in building the public’s trust and confidence in police, Bush said.

The centre was designed to increase police capacity to meet demand for the 1.8 million calls to local stations every year.

‘‘We aspire to be the world’s safest country and have the trust and confidence of all,’’ Bush said.

‘‘To achieve this, our commitment to service must be central to everything we do.

‘‘So this year we’re setting ourselves up to transform the way we

‘‘We aspire to be the world’s safest country.’’ Commissioner Mike Bush

provide our service to the public.’’

Bush said the centre would support frontline staff, ‘‘because we know the public still want to engage face to face with local police in their community’’.

It was announced in May’s Budget that the police budget would increase to almost $300 million over four years, as the Government attempted to bolster frontline staff.

An extra 920 officers will be able to be hired in the coming year, along with 240 support staff.

‘‘We are increasing our overall resources, and changing the way we work to provide a better service to those contacting police in both emergency and nonemergency situations,’’ Bush said.

Police aimed to have 50 new staff before Christmas, and the full 120 by the end of next year.

It is anticipated the Paraparaumu site on Ihakara St will open later this year when fit-out and recruitment is done.

The building will not have police branding, as it is not a police station.

Under the new centralised telephony model, all external calls to local stations are answered by call-takers in Auckland, a police spokeswoman said.

The model has been rolled out to six of the 12 police districts. The full rollout is expected to be complete by the end of the year.