Dannevirke: District council reflects on security question

Deputy mayor Bill Keltie

Would security guards on the doors be enough to protect Tararua District council staff from the actions of a gunman?

That's one of the dilemmas councillors are grappling with after concerns were raised at last week's Tararua District Council meeting. Councillors discussed issues raised at a national health and safety leaders summit. After the killing of two employees in an Ashburton Work and Income office last year, Parliament is considering legislation, with security not taken seriously enough in WorkSafe's view, Tararua District Council chief executive Blair King says.

"We need to be able to service our customers, but how do we ensure our staff are safe? That's the challenge," Mr King told councillors. "Even if we have a security person outside [our offices] how could he protect staff from someone with an unlicensed shotgun before the first shot is fired? A lot of our training [of staff] is around trying to defuse situations, and customer interaction is still the key."

Deputy mayor Bill Keltie agreed it was important to interface with customers.

"Do we have policies for this?" he asked. "Are there policies for someone with a knife, someone with a shotgun and someone with a baseball bat?"

Mr King said policies were in place, with dash cameras for council vehicles and security in council offices the accepted norm.

"How do we manage our risk for our animal control staff too?" Mr King asked. "And how would we handle a situation similar to that which occurred at the Manawatu District Council offices?" In that incident a woman entered the office and threw petrol, threatening to set it alight following a dispute over an impounded dog.

Mr King said it was vital council managed the risk because proposed new legislation had financial repercussions.

"But until it's law, what do we do?" he asked.

Tararua District Mayor Roly Ellis said: "A hell of a lot of common sense is needed."