A project aiming to develop a Front Counter Safety Model for police stations around the country has now been completed.

The new model features security requirements for public entrances and exits, CCTV monitoring, counter design, barriers, alarms, access control measures, and training and enhanced operating procedures.

Police say 121 stations need more defences. Photo: Supplied.

Police's resource management acting deputy commissioner Allan Boreham says these features are designed to deal with the most likely threats at publicly accessible police sites and replaces current design features.

'The review determined that 121 police sites needed immediate mitigation. To date, 75 of these sites have been visited to conduct preliminary measurements, and 45 concept designs have been completed from these 75 visits,” explains Allan.

'Not every station will require all the components of the new model and there will be variation in how we achieve the required design standards depending on each location's operational needs.”

Allan says police were aware some sites have facilities where it is impractical or not justifiable to implement the new design features, such as small one/two people stations or in community centres mostly staffed by volunteers.

In those cases public access to the station will be possible only when an on-duty constabulary staff member is present and those locations will have signage clearly identifying alternative ways of contacting police, says Allan.

'Police are working hard to maintain access for the public across our 350-plus locations throughout New Zealand. This is a significant number of sites.

'We are doing all we can to make them as accessible as possible while being as safe as possible for our staff, volunteers and members of the public.”

Allan says districts' operational commanders are always looking to achieve the best possible access to police services for the communities they serve. Every community will always have a mix of locations with varying opening hours, but police officers are out in the community 24/7, he says.

Allan has also slammed suggestions in the media this week that the project is a move to justify closing stations. He describes this suggestion as being 'simply wrong”.

'The front counter safety project is to ensure we achieve our aim, of keeping our staff, volunteers and visitors to police sites safe. The Police Association has been consulted and involved in the front counter project and have been supportive of Police moves to ensure the safety of staff.”

At this stage police expect to use a phased approach to upgrading front counters over the next 12-36 months.