Policing in Dunedin will become more "proactive, preventive and visible" in a six-month major reorganisation, officers were told yesterday.
The new-look Dunedin-Clutha police area structure was outlined to staff at a meeting yesterday at the Dunedin Central Police Station.
Changes are largely as had been indicated and include the relocation of frontline officers from Green Island, North Dunedin and South Dunedin to Dunedin Central, creating an extra frontline response team based there, and the creation of three six-person proactive policing teams.
Rosters will also be changed so more people are working at times when the most crime happens, rotation of the membership of response sections will be increased, new senior sergeant positions will be created and senior sergeants will have increased responsibilities.
There will also be changes to the area management structure.
Southern police district commander Superintendent Bob Burns said he expected the new structure would result in policing in Dunedin becoming more proactive, preventive and visible.
All frontline staff at North and South Dunedin stations would be relocated to Dunedin Central station, as would one of the two officers at Green Island.
Port Chalmers, where it was initially proposed to cut the two-man station to a sole-charge post, would retain two officers, despite their relatively low workload.
"It will ensure that our police response remains timely, given the more extensive distances that the Port Chalmers' station covers."
Green Island, however, was within relatively short response time from Dunedin or Mosgiel.
Most of the up to 20 affected staff would carry on doing frontline duties from the Dunedin Central station.
Proactive policing teams would work across the city targeting specific problems, and, along with an extra response team, would be working at high-crime times.
The extra response staff also meant more officers could be on the frontline instead of being tied up with other jobs, for example as scene guards.
"What it means is that more staff will be working when we have the most need for them."
Frontline staff would be rotated in and out of proactive policing teams and other sections.
Having the same people together in sections for a long periods was good in some aspects in that it built a strong team, but it could also breed a certain culture that was not always desirable, he said.
"I'm hoping the restructure is going to widen the view of the team ... to the whole of Dunedin being the team."
Police had been grappling for some time with how they could become more proactive, but the way the Dunedin police force was structured gave no flexibility to do that, Supt Burns said.
He believed most staff understood what he was trying to do and appeared to have already adjusted.
It was expected that the majority of the new structure would be in place by July 1, but there was much work to do before that, establishing systems and positions and placing people.
"The hard work begins now, really."
New Zealand Police Association regional director Detective Sergeant Brett Roberts said most staff took yesterday's news in their stride.
There were few surprises given that there had been extensive consultation throughout the process.
He believed most frontline staff accepted changes needed to be made to become a modern and up-to-date force.
There would always be people unsettled by change, and some staff would have to prepare for a change in lifestyle, he said.
"But, at this stage, I think the attitude is just `bring it on, let's get this thing up and running'."
Chalmers Community Board chairwoman Jan Tucker said she was pleased for the community and the Port Chalmers constables themselves.
Green Island-Saddle Hill city councillor Colin Weatherall said he was disappointed by the decision, and wondered what would happen when the sole officer was on holiday.
Green Island Business Association president John Moyle feared Green Island residents' feeling of wellbeing would disappear "a bit" and youth crime could increase.
Dunedin South MP Clare Curran said it was disappointing police had not accounted for community feeling in South Dunedin and she would be watching to see if the community still felt well served by their local police.
