Fear Bay police station could close

Allan Sole is concerned that Waihi Beach's two police officers could be stationed elsewhere. Photo / John Borren

There are fears Waihi Beach police station could be closed - but police say they are consulting with the community and no decision has been made.

Waihi Beach Community Board chairman Allan Sole wrote a letter to the Bay of Plenty Times outlining his concerns about what would happen were the area's two police officers moved to another area.

Speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times, Mr Sole said he had heard the two officers based at the Waihi Beach station were to be based at another station in the wider area.

"To me, basically, if you have two policemen and they are both not going to be here and the doors are going to be shut, that is closed," he said.

Mr Sole credited the area's low rate of crime to the work currently done by the local officers, who were putting "a fence at the top of the cliff" rather than being "the ambulance at the bottom".

"I just believe that our policemen are doing a damn good job here. You take something that's working and throw it all away."

In his letter, Mr Sole said such a move would result in criminals who would "have the next best thing to carte blanche".

"The elderly and others at risk in our community are about to be at greater risk," he wrote.

Hauraki-Piako response commander Senior Sergeant Rex Knight told the Bay of Plenty Times the district was looking at a "different structure for policing in the future" but he understood no stations were to be closed.

"We're holding ongoing meetings with staff, starting today," he said yesterday.

In a written statement, a Waikato district police spokesperson confirmed no decision had been made about the future of the two-person Waihi police station.

"We are currently in a consultation phase with the community, including local mayors and police partners.

"We will listen very carefully to their views and any decisions will be made after careful consideration of all the information available to us."