Mount Maunganui's Work and Income New Zealand office joins those around the country reporting threats and dangerous behaviour following the fatal shootings at a WINZ office in Ashburton on Monday.
Bay of Plenty Police confirmed they have taken action following two threats to WINZ staff at Owens Place on Tuesday.
A security guard is standing outside WINZ in Owens Place this morning.
'One of these involved a phone threat relating to a food grant, which resulted in a trespass notice being issued,” says NZ Police spokesman Ross Henderson.
'The second involved a client threatening staff. Police attended and warned the man.”
Ross says such threats are not acceptable, and police are warning anyone thinking of making a threat to think again.
'Police takes all such threats seriously and will not hesitate to take swift and decisive action where required.
'People cannot and should not be able to threaten others without consequence. In these situations, police's top priority is to ensure the safety of staff and the public and will respond accordingly.”
Security is being beefed up at Work and Income offices nationwide after an number of threats following the fatal shooting of Peggy Noble, 67, and Susan Leigh Cleveland, 55, and the shooting of a Lindy Curtis in Ashburton on Monday.
Russell John Tully, 48, has appeared in the Christchurch District Court this week charged with the murder of Peggy and Susan, and attempting to murder Lindy.
In Thames on Wednesday, a 22-year-old man appeared in the Thames District Court on a charge of using insulting language in a public place following an argument at the Thames WINZ.
The Rotorua and Canterbury WINZ offices were closed on Wednesday after abusive and threatening calls.
Ministry of Social Development chief executive Brendan Boyle says 100 security guards are being deployed at WINZ offices across the country.
The measures are in place to protect and reassure staff and clients, says Brendan.
Guards will not be searching people who enter the offices for weapons at this stage.
WINZ offices will be locked down in the event of future threats. Security guards will control entry to sites and may demand proof of identity.
6 comments
disgusting threatening people
Posted on 05-09-2014 13:42 | By rotovend
disgusting behaviour threatening people just doing their jobs
.
Posted on 05-09-2014 14:44 | By maccachic
Biting the hand that feeds.
Wisechief
Posted on 05-09-2014 18:08 | By Wise Chief
Public including most government ministers public servants including those employed via Winz been constantly mislead via corrupt niave media over the issue of the welfare state or their REAL function as the ''administrators of one's personal crown account'' which was started soon after one's very own birth. The account when openned was valued in oz birth weight of gold per the market on that day. The amounts were placed in commonwealth trading accounts and the proceeds accumulated used to pay the cost of raising the child-person into a healthy, educated, skilled, taxpaying citizen who is also insured for injury or death. Thus government wins everytime whether one lives or dies or works or does not work. Remember the account is opened in one's own capital letters-strawman's name. Governments today are guilty of commandeering these privately owned funds for their own purposes and have squandered vast vast vast amounts.
thick as pig plop?
Posted on 06-09-2014 01:55 | By krisby
Do these people not realize that the staff are just doing their job? making a personal threat doesn't change the policy they are following nor does it favour any decisions that may be made in the future. But then, I guess people that desperate are possibly not the smartest cookies either. Not sure Wisechiefs theories either, whether true or not its irrelevant to this discussion.
Kiwi
Posted on 08-09-2014 21:31 | By Sonn
Wisechief you make no sense?! How does any of your post have anything to do with bullies threatening innocent people with violence?!
verbal abuse
Posted on 11-09-2014 10:49 | By rosscoo
according to police an average New Zealander is allowed to verbally abuse you but if you work for a government department it is not allowed. non government worker has to wait until you been attacked before police will do anything.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.