Senior Sergeant Russell Richards The good and the bad

Kia ora.

Your police have been on the ball over the last couple of weeks, with arrests in relation to burglaries and the unlawful taking of motor vehicles.

Calls for service in relation to family harm events and alcohol-driven offences continue to dominate police time.

Easter saw a large number of traffic crashes involving alcohol. It was only by luck that Te Hiku had no fatalities over this time.

The events in Christchurch continue to affect our daily deployment, and you may have noticed that staff were wearing side arms.

This was due to the national threat level. Some public events will also be attended by staff with firearms. This should not deter you from approaching our staff, and I encourage you to have a chat as per normal.

I attended the Weet-Bix triathlon two weeks ago at Waitangi, and it was great to see so many Te Hiku kids taking part in the event and being supported by their families and friends. I also noted that the Far North Surf Lifesaving Club, based out of Ahipara, was assisting and making sure our kids were safe in the swim.

I know it was an early start to get to Paihia, set up and spend a whole day in the water. I thank you on behalf of the community, as without your service and willingness to give up your own time the event would not have been as successful as it was.

Your local volunteers are working hard at keeping their community safe. Once again it proves how important our local volunteers are in the community, and if you have been thinking about joining a local organisation, stop thinking and join up.

Recruiting for the New Zealand police is another major focus for us, and Sergeant Sarah Hewitt-Wihongi is working hard to ensure those in Te Hiku are interested. If you would like to learn more about a career in the police then call in to the Kaitaia station and have a chat.

We are on track to have four new recruits graduate out of the Royal New Zealand Police College over the next four months, and they will be well received on the front line.

On the night of April 22 local police called on the Armed Offenders’ Squad and the Auckland Metro-based helicopter Eagle to assist with taking into custody a local with outstanding warrants to arrest. Due to the nature of previous offending, and an applied risk assessment, these resources were called upon to ensure a safe outcome for all involved, and the wider Kaitaia community.

What did not help was misinformation and people making up assumptions about shooting and police invading the privacy of family homes. In this case we knew that an individual who was causing ongoing harm in the community, and with active warrants to arrest, was present, and I totally support my staff’s actions.

In terms of Facebook, use it sensibly, as we all know the damage that misinformation can cause to small communities.

Have a good week.

"Recruiting for the New Zealand police is another major focus for us, and Sergeant Sarah Hewitt-Wihongi is working hard to ensure those in Te Hiku are interested."