Police Superforce for Supercity?

The Supercity could be policed by a Superforce.

The three police districts of greater Auckland are investigating a major restructure that could centralise key roles and ensure they work more closely than ever before.

While they are playing down talk of a complete merger, they are looking at aligning policing with the boundaries of the new Supercity and wards.

It is spurred by the merger of Auckland's four city and three district councils into one big city, later this year.

Police revealed they had launched a project to draft future changes to "structure and governance" in Auckland.

Assistant Commissioner Steve Shortland is spearheading the "Auckland Options Project" and said it was all about making sure police were prepared for the Supercity.

"Police currently have a range of interactions at all levels, with seven local authorities across the Auckland region. These include areas such as liquor licensing, civil defence, road policing, crime prevention, community safety, planning, graffiti and family violence," he said.

"As a result of the change in local authorities police are working with the Auckland Transition Agency to transition these relationships so that they come under the umbrella of the one local authority."

Mayor John Banks was pleased to hear police were considering their position in the new Supercity.

"I think eliminating those artificial boundaries and making their leadership team much more horizontal than vertical is crucial," he said.

Banks backed police across the Auckland region aligning their boundaries with the new Supercity wards. "I have absolutely no doubt police leadership across regional Auckland needs to be representing the aspirations of the Supercity."

But Manukau Mayor Len Brown, who is also vying for the mayoralty, said any realignment of policing was a "big issue that needs big consideration".

"I'd hate to think that the police are looking to realign things to fix something that's not broken," he said.

"I would hate to see police realign boundaries just because we are going through changes in the Supercity."

He said it was important to approach any restructuring with caution and retain the good work police had been doing in the past few years.

Shortland said the project would involve full consultation with police and the community.

Progress to date had involved a number of working groups, discussions and research.

"It is still in the information gathering phase and no decisions as to structure etc have been made. It may be that the status quo will be maintained," Shortland said.

One possible change would see New Lynn, currently part of the Waitemata district, become part of central Auckland.

Inspector Jim Wilson, area commander of the western patch of Auckland city, said nothing had been confirmed.