The final structure for the West Coast Area Police has been presented to staff.

The new structure takes effect from 1 September 2016 and incorporates three changes from the proposal document as a result of the consultation process with staff and the community.

The structure will include the establishment of a Tactical Squad, which was strongly supported by both staff and the community throughout the consultation period.

West Coast Area Commander Inspector Mel Aitken says that as a result of consultation around the proposal to disestablish the Constable position at Karamea, that decision has been reversed.

'Information put forward during the consultation has led us to reconsider, and our decision now is to retain the Karamea position,” she said.

The flow on effect of this decision is that a second Detective position cannot be established in Westport.

Inspector Aitken, who was recently confirmed as the new West Coast Area Commander, says the third change to what had been proposed was the decentralisation of the two Prevention Constable positions from Greymouth to Hokitika and Westport.

'During my meetings with staff and the community I gained an understanding of the unique dynamics of the individual communities and this led me to believe the Prevention Constables would be most effective if based within those communities, but reporting to the Prevention Sergeant in Greymouth.”

These Constables will hold portfolios for Family Violence, Youth and Community services across the West Coast Area.

Inspector Aitken said the District Commander's commitment to consultation had been genuine and she hoped that staff and the community would now get behind the new structure and support Police to reduce social harm in West Coast communities.

'I am confident we now have a prevention structure that will greatly assist us to deliver an effective policing service to our communities and I look forward to moving forward and delivering on our core goals of reducing family harm, victimisation, offending and road trauma.

I trust we have the support and confidence of the West Coast as we work towards achieving those goals."

Source: New Zealand Police.