Town still waiting for answers
A deadline is looming for the residents of a small northern Wairarapa town who are seeking clarity on how police will patrol their community after months without answers.
Pongaroa hasn’t had a permeant police presence since January, when the long-serving Senior Constable Dave Kirk retired from the force.
Residents lobbied for his replacement and were told by police in early July that they intended to replace Kirk.
However, when police responded to questions from Stuff in July and September, it appeared the role wouldn’t be a direct replacement.
Manawatu¯ Area Commander Inspector Sarah Stewart said they were developing a description for the role of rural community constable, which would have a focus on community consultation, partnerships and crime prevention.
She said they were considering the Pongaroa community’s feedback to ensure the police service continued to meet its specific needs.
‘‘We are confident this role will deliver on this and will continue to keep the Pongaroa community informed once the details of the role are confirmed.’’
This month, the role had still not been advertised, but Acting Manawatu¯ Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham confirmed the role would be a community constable, responsible for Pongaroa and the wider rural community.
He said they were still working through internal processes before the position description could be finalised.
Andrew Casey, a member of the committee Pongaroa: The Way to Go, said it was holding another meeting this coming Monday, which coincided with the three-month timeframe in which it wanted police to come up with a solution.
This meeting would determine the committee’s next move.
At present, police are in the town every Thursday from 9am to 12pm and there are ‘‘random rostered patrols’’ of the region’s back roads a couple of times a week.
The closest police station is in Dannevirke, 60 kilometres away. It takes about 50 minutes by car to get there.
A public meeting with National Party police spokesman Chris Bishop and Wairarapa electorate MP Alastair Scott was pencilled in for July 19, but had been adjourned to give police the chance to appoint Kirk’s replacement.
Bishop has said he would be ‘‘surprised and concerned’’ if a full-time officer wasn’t based in Pongaroa.