It followed meetings in Culverden and Hanmer Springs last week, which attracted hundreds of people.
Police have proposed major changes to staffing across the rural Canterbury district, which includes Hurunui, Waimakariri, Selwyn and Banks Peninsula, to address changing population and demand on police resources.
But concerns have been expressed at the lack of public consultation and a loss of police resources in rural areas.
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black called on police to hear the concerns of Hurunui residents.
‘‘Please don’t fix the problem at the expense of us rural dwellers. There is a lot of concern for me and others in the room at these proposals.
‘‘I’m incredibly proud of how the district has stood together to give constructive and positive feedback.’’
Under the proposal Amberley’s staffing would reduce from two police officers to one community liaison officer, the Culverden station will become a base for road policing, and the police family harm unit and the school community educators staffing would be reduced from two to one in rural Canterbury.
Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith said he had met with Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Canterbury police area commander Superintendent Tony Hill since he learned of the restructure.
He said police have autonomy on operational matters, but are guided by the Government’s priorities and expectations.
‘‘The turnout this evening shows how much the police are valued in this community,’’ he said.
‘‘Our expectation is for greater visibility and presence on the frontline, and whether this meets that remains to be seen.’’
Amberley School principal Antony Criglington said schools were under ‘‘immense pressure’’ and this would be made worse by a reduced police presence.
‘‘We will miss those conversations at the front gate because it feels like those won’t be happening any more. It takes a village to raise a child and police are part of that village.
‘‘Having police officers coming into schools provides essential education through their police education programmes. The messages about safety and well-being are more impactful when it comes from the police rather than from parents or teachers."
Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Bex Green said the proposed changes will have ‘‘serious negative consequences’’.
Having a police presence at rugby matches and community events was a crime deterrent, while volunteers such as St John, search and rescue and fire brigades often relied on a police presence.
‘‘Officers know rural roads and the unique crime patterns in rural areas.
‘‘The proposed changes will lead to longer wait times. Minutes matter and it will place enormous strain on volunteers.’’
‘‘It is never our intention to do less. We want to do better. But the world has changed, especially since the earthquakes, as Waimakariri and Selwyn have grown massively.
‘‘But I’m confident our people will let us know what will work and what won’t.’’
Mr Cooper said last weekend there were four call-outs in the Hurunui district, while staff across the rural Canterbury district typically received four call-outs every 10 minutes, ‘‘but demand is outstripping our ability to respond’’.
While police officers in Amberley were on-call outside their duty hours, there was no requirement for them to live in the town.
‘‘Comments have been made about response times, but staff who work here don’t always live. So, this is our normal, we already do it.
‘‘Policing is a team approach. There is a North Canterbury team which looks after the area, so it’s not just the Amberley staff who look after this area.’’
■ Submissions have been extended until August 18. To make a submission email Canterbury.review@police.govt.nz
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
