Sniffer dog could be out of a job

The force is proposing to cut the sole drug dog handler position in the Eastern District, which a police officer says "will just make the battle [against drugs] harder".

The proposed restructuring of the Eastern District is designed to cut staff to allocated numbers.

A police officer spoken to by Hawke's Bay Today said it had been recommended that the drug dog handler position be cut as part of the reshuffle.

The Eastern District only has one drug dog, named Saru.

"That means there will be no dedicated police drug dog in the future for the Eastern District Police.

"I think [it] is contrary to what the police have reported in relation to their fight on drugs and organised crime. Having no dedicated drug dog will just make this battle harder."

A police spokeswoman said the position was being reviewed and a decision had not yet been made.

"The drug dog handler position is one of several positions that are being reviewed in the Eastern District sworn realignment.

'There have been no final decisions made yet on any positions. We will not be debating the merits or otherwise of any position through the media. "

It was not known when the proposed changes would take effect. "There has been no date set for completion of the realignment."

The proposed restructuring sparked controversy in October last year, when district commander Superintendent Sandra Venables announced nine non-sworn police jobs in Hawke's Bay were in jeopardy.

A document leaked to Hawke's Bay Today in the same month also proposed to cut two youth-related positions in Hawke's Bay, despite the Eastern District being the only area in the country recording a rise in child offending.

This week, Ministry of Justice records showed cannabis-related convictions in Wairoa had doubled compared with five years ago, but dropped in Napier and Hastings in the past financial year.