Te Puke’s community constable is getting his boots on and “going for a walk”.

Aron Wilson-McGrath has been in the role for two months.

Unlike some of his colleagues based at the Te Puke Police station, Aron wasn’t born in Te Puke and doesn’t live there.

“I don’t have the luxury of having prior knowledge of the people here and the influential groups or organisations here,” he said.

“So, a lot of it is just getting out with my boots on and going for a walk up and downtown and introducing myself to anyone who’s in and around, like shop owners.

“I think it makes a difference being someone who people know on a first-name basis, someone who’s introduced themselves to you with a handshake and with a greeting as opposed to just a phone call, because when you need an issue resolved then you actually know someone who works in police, you know the face, you know the first name – it breaks down the barriers and makes you more approachable.”

Wilson-McGrath was also keen, where he can, to be involved in events in Te Puke and the wider community and was at the recent Sirens and Services day held in the Te Puke Memorial Hall.

He said so far, he’s enjoying the role.

Wilson-McGrath was born and raised in Hamilton but has been in the Bay of Plenty for six years.

Prior to being stationed in Te Puke, the majority of his career has been in the front line in Tauranga working predominantly in the Pāpāmoa and Tauranga stations, but also at Mount Maunganui.

He also had a five-month stint in Ōpōtiki.

He said he really enjoyed working in rural communities.

“I feel as though, in rural communities you are able to achieve outcomes in different ways and a lot of the time it’s more effective in terms of actually resolving a matter because you are dealing with the root cause and you are able to deal with it by pulling people together and saying ‘this is the issue we have, lets sort it out’.”

Te Puke Police Community Constable Aron Wilson-McGrath at the Sirens and Services day. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

He said he believed he has the aptitude and social skills to do well in a community-based role, and he has some experience of working in Te Puke.

“I’ve not been stationed here before but always put up my hand to come out and help with the front-line stuff here. or if there’s jobs that need attending out here – I just like dealing with the small communities."

An example was a recent meeting with members of the Pongakawa community to discuss a variety of issues.

“I’m happy to go along to these things because it’s all well and good for me to look at a report of crime, but I know there’s a lot of things that aren’t reported but despite them not being reported to police, they can really help build a picture of some of the issues that are really going on within those more rural communities.

“I’m still in the process of listening to those voices and opinions of the residents of those communities and figuring out how, hopefully alongside the council and any other agency that can help, to find a realistic solution that is achievable to get over the line.”

He said he was also starting to look at other areas where he can contribute to the community beyond dealing with complaints.

One thing he has noticed since he started his role is that Māori land and tenancy disputes were prevalent.

“Not just in the Te Puke community itself, but in the wider rural community as well, which is not what I expected.”

He said even though these were civil matters, if people become overwhelmed or don’t know what to do, they tend to turn to the police.

“They just need help and guidance, and I think education around these topics would be super beneficial to the community as well.”

Wilson-McGrath would like to see if there was interest in setting up an evening with representatives of the Māori Land Court and Tenancy Tribunal to have a discussion about the issues.

“They can be quite difficult people to get on the phone, but I do know people who need it, and I know that the Māori Land Court have people who are offering that service in Rotorua, so it’s definitely possible.”