19 April 2002

Police Minister and Manurewa MP George Hawkins announced extra funding of $1.7 million for the rebuilding of the Manurewa Police Station today.

The extra spending will fund stages two and three of a rebuilding project that will see the current group of buildings on the Halver Road site, replaced with a comprehensive facility. It comes on top of $208,000 spent on Stage I of the project in the 2000/01 financial year.

“Since the Manurewa station opened on the present site in 1966, it has been expanded as needed by the addition of various low-cost buildings. As a result, police working here in 2002 are trying to run a busy station out of a rag-tag group of buildings.

“The injection of $1.7 million will provide for the construction of a comprehensive police station on the site, and the removal of the of the run-down buildings that the police have been operating out of.

“I am thrilled that this long overdue work is to go ahead. Finally the Manurewa Police can look forward to a working environment that they are proud of. The new station will give them the space to house all of the staff for the Manurewa Area, and the facilities to carry out all of their duties,” said Mr Hawkins. “Ultimately that means the Manurewa Police can provide an even better service to our community.”

Background material on the Manurewa station is attached

Contact: Aimee Wilkins [press secretary] 04 471 9795 or 021 270 9131

MANUREWA POLICE STATION ANNOUNCEMENT

BACKGROUND NOTES

History

- Manurewa’s first resident constable was appointed in 1937 - Constable Edward Christmas.

- Constable Christmas retired in 1955 and died in 1959. He was well liked in Manurewa, as seen by the naming of Christmas Road after him.

- The current Manurewa station opened in 1966, comprising three houses - one used as a police station, the others for accommodation.

- Following the merger with the MOT in 1992, a MOT office from Mt Albert was relocated to the rear of the station. By this time the two residential houses had been converted to police station use.

- In 1995 the car park was created, and in 2000 the new security fence and gate were provided.

- In 2001 the Youth at Risk Facility was relocated from Clendon to a new building on the site.

Need for Improvement

- The Pan Auckland Property Plan (2000) rated Manurewa as one of the poorer stations in the region.

- The original station has been enlarged on an ad hoc, low cost basis over a number of years.

- The current group of buildings do not allow police to provide the best service to the public, and do not provide enough space for staff.

The Rebuilding Plan

- In 2000/01 Stage I was funded ($208,000) - providing new lockers and shower facilities. Work began June 2001 and was completed January 2002

- Funding for Stages II and III ($1,772,000) has now been approved.

o Stage II: Watch House, Meal Room and Kitchen, Suspect Interview & Custodial Facilities, Community Constable, Muster Room

o Stage III: Youth Aid, Street Crime Unit, CIB, Station O/C

Projected completion date for Stages II and III is March 2003.

Benefits

Rebuilding of the Manurewa Station will provide a more functional environment for the police and allow them to better serve the Manurewa community. Importantly, the improvements will allow them to carry out a full range of policing activities, like suspect interviews. The new facility will be more secure, and allow all staff policing the Manurewa area to be located at the station.

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