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After being closed for over a year the Mahurangi Community Policing Centre reopened on August 14, and will be again manned by Senior Constable Hamish Buick.
The station closed in May last year after national police policy meant no station could open to the public without a police officer present.
Warkworth Police Sergeant Bede Haughey says he is very pleased to see the station reopen.
“Some people are more comfortable to raise an issue with the police face-to-face rather than making a call and this gives us a physical presence in the area,” Sgt Haughey says. “The more people that report issues, the more prevention work we can do to reduce the crime rate.”
Station hours are not set, but Hamish says people are welcome to talk with him any time he is at the centre.
“It’s great to have a local presence in Snells Beach especially ahead of the summer period when the area gets busy,” he says.
Snells Beach Neighbourhood Support coordinator Lesley Leversha has welcomed the news.
“More people will raise local issues through the station and crime will definitely be reduced because of this,” Lesley says.
The station was built in 1994 after the community raised $52,000 and donated land to council on the condition they would be given a police presence in Snells Beach. Hamish is one of only two officers to have worked at the station; the other was Terry Mills.
Hamish was moved to Warkworth Police Station in May last year to cover a staff shortage.
