Just one in seven Whanganui police 'engaged' with job

More Whanganui police said they were disengaged with the job than engaged. Photo/File

Just one in seven Whanganui police are "engaged" with their job - and a third of staff say management needs to change to make the police better.

Police's annual workplace survey results showed just 14.8 per cent of Whanganui staff said they were "engaged" employees, almost halving from 27.6 per cent engagement last year.

More staff - just over 22 per cent - said they were "disengaged", and 63 per cent were "ambivalent".

And one in three Central District staff who responded to the survey said management "needs to change" to improve police.

The survey was responded to by 82 Whanganui staff. It's not clear what percentage of the total this was, but the larger Central District had a response rate of 56 per cent.

When asked which one thing needed to change the most to make police a great place to work, the top answer, with 33 per cent of respondents, said managers and senior managers. This was up from 26 per cent last year.

It was also well above the next top answer and a well-publicised area of concern: resources and staffing levels, with 19 per cent.

Only 24 per cent of Central District staff agreed with the statement, "People here are appointed based on merit".

Figures from police showed two high ranking officers had left Central police in the last two years, including Whanganui area commander Inspector Steve Mastrovich.

Police Association regional director for the Central District, Paul Ormerod, said there had recently been a reshuffle of staff called Project Balance.

"I think that had a big impact on that of the survey results in Central, as all restructures do," he said.

"No one actually lost their roles or positions, but people were moved into different areas. It was a reshuffle of existing staff."

When asked whether the responses to engagement and what needed to change within police painted a picture of dissatisfaction, Mr Ormerod said: "I couldn't comment on that."

Police District Commander Central Superintendent Sue Schwalger said the decline in engagement was contributed to by two factors.

"Firstly the district has had a re-alignment of staff through Project Balance and this took many months to conclude.

"Secondly, since the retirement of the Whanganui area commander in April 2016 there have been a number of relieving area commanders who have rotated through the position whilst an appointments process has been underway.

"Whilst allowing new and emerging leaders to relieve in a position is a good development opportunity the changes can be unsettling for staff."

She said an announcement on an appointment for area commander could be expected in the "coming weeks". She also noted staff numbers across the Central District would increase by 67 police over the next four years.

However, of the 14 police being allocated across the district this year, Whanganui would get zero.