No pageantry or fanfare, just a quick stop in to say hi to our Boys and Girls in Blue says Police Minister Judith Collins yesterday.

It's the first visit for the reinstated Police Minister to Tauranga Police since they moved into their premises on the corner of Willow Street and Monmouth Street.

Minister of Police Judith Collins and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges heading into have a look at the Tauranga Police Station. Photo: Greg Taipari.

Her first impressions of the station was she liked what she saw.

'I haven't been back to see them since I was last the Minister of Police. I came here the first time around when they were in the first building and did the approval for the funding and the building of this building. So it's always good to see the good work paying off.

'One of the things I like to do is go out to see our frontline staff because they always have the best ideas and I like to use them.”

Judith says it was also good to see a retired Tauranga Police officer Senior Constable Deane Thomas receiving the New Zealand Bravery Medal for his actions in saving a person whose vehicle had plunged off the Maungatapu Bridge.

'It's just another example of the excellent work the police just do. It's also good to remember that they are also human beings. So they can be injured just like everyone else and they have to put their lives on the line and that's part of their jobs. It's great to see them being recognised.”

The Minister says New Zealand Police had about 12,000 staff and she knows every one of them are proud to serve.

'They have families who are proud of them and they are often in danger and they have to be able to be supported and that's one of the things I do and try and support them as much as possible.”

Judith says she has confidence in the police's job of trying to get rid of a real 'scourge” affecting New Zealand communities.

'Of course they are dealing with the scourge of methamphetamine, which is behind the recent two shootings in the last few weeks and it's behind a lot of the crime in this country. They do a great job but also always want to do better.”

The two incidents Judith referred to the police shooting of a Hamilton man during a police search on July 12, and the police shooting of a man in Rotorua on July 14, both incidents methamphetamine was a factor.