Under the pump
Kia ora.
Your police in Te Hiku and around the country have been under the pump and working hard in the wake of the Christchurch tragedy. There is still a lot of work to be completed in Christchurch, and the ongoing investigation will take some time.
This has meant staff from Northland with specific training and skill sets have been sent down to assist. Some local staff have been redirected to assist with local inquiries, and have a presence at public events to ensure public safety.
Even though we are geographically a long way away from where this event occurred, I ask that everyone in the community keeps an eye out and reports any behaviour they believe is suspicious. The best way to report this is by calling 111.
The change of legislation around the Arms Act, and specifically semiautomatic firearms, will affect a lot of people here in Northland. Please upskill yourself on the changes, and take steps to get your weapons sorted in a lawful manner as soon as possible. We have started to receive surrendered firearms at the station. Please ensure you call ahead and advise if you have a large number to deal with so we can prepare and make the process a little smoother for you.
On Saturday night seven people were picked up in Kaitaia and processed for driving with excess breath alcohol. Some were issued with on-thespot fines, while others will appear in court and face disqualification and fines. I know that there were a couple of preseason games taking place on Saturday, and believe there is a direct correlation.
As we move into the winter sports season I would ask that sports clubs have a robust conversation in their management meetings about what role they play in keeping their members and the public safe after a night of drinking at their clubrooms.
We all know the club members who drink and drive on a regular basis, and watch them walk out the door on a Saturday night, wondering if they will get home alright or kill someone on the way.
Without a change in mindset we will keep catching and processing drink drivers or cleaning up their carnage.
While patrolling on a Saturday evening I also noticed people consuming alcohol outside clubrooms. These people are not contributing to the sports clubs they belong to, and more often than not preload and cause issues within those clubs. Club managers and leaders need to address this.
There was a sharp increase in burglaries and thefts from cars over the weekend, especially in Redan Rd. Police are following lines of enquiries, but if you witnessed the offender, or know who they are, please call me on (09) 408-6511.
Once again I remind people to remove valuables from their vehicles and reduce the chances of becoming a victim.
Have a good week.
"The change of legislation around the Arms Act, and specifically semiautomatic firearms, will affect a lot of people here in Northland. Please upskill yourself on the changes, and take steps to get your weapons sorted in a lawful manner as soon as possible. "