Police stations still operating with one officer

The Lincoln and Leeston police stations are unlikely to return to pre-2023 staffing levels, despite a controversial restructure being scrapped.

Both stations went from three officers to one to bolster a 24/7 roster based at the Rolleston Station.

Police announced this month that a review of staffing across Canterbury has been scrapped after a backlash from the public.

But Canterbury district commander Superintendent Tony Hill said, despite the proposal being scrapped, Selwyn’s police model will remain unchanged.

“Where we have people in place, we plan to leave them there. Our focus now is on the things we need to continue with, and one of those is, of course, the 24/7 model in Selwyn.

“So we are rapidly putting a plan together and how we bring some permanency to it without having to restructure staff to do so.”

Hill said the positions at Lincoln and Leeston will remain vacant for the time being, until a plan is formulated.

“It’s just not an overnight thing,” he said.

Police Association president Chris Cahill said he supports the need for 24/7 policing in Selwyn.

“We were supportive of 24/7 policing in Selwyn, but it shouldn’t have been done by robbing Peter to pay Paul by taking staff out of Leeston and Lincoln.”

He said the process has been “confusing” for the public to understand.

While crime in Selwyn is low, Hill said police can adapt quickly if it increases.

But Cahill said Selwyn should not be punished for a low crime rate.

“You’ve got a fast-growing community . . . If you are only going to put your numbers based on crime happening, you are missing the whole prevention opportunity.”

The public rollout of the 24/7 model in Selwyn was anything but smooth, with police first denying it was happening in August 2022 but then moving to the 24/7 model, which remains today, in May 2023.

After it was announced, it took Selwyn Times almost a year to get key details about the model released through the Official Information Act following a complaint to the Ombudsman in April 2024.

Hill said one of the lessons learnt through the process is that police need to explain how they deliver service better. ​

“I think there is still a perception that our staff are sitting behind a desk somewhere waiting for a job where most of our services through technology and changes we’ve made are delivered in the community and from our cars,” he said.