Earthquake strengthening of Palmerston North Police Station ...

The scaffolding has gone, the carpark is no longer the domain of builders, and 99 per cent of the invoices are in. Manawatū Guardian editor Judith Lacy reports on her guided tour of the refurbished and strengthened Palmerston North Police Station.

Palmerston North Police Station could not be picked up and taken anywhere else in Aotearoa.

Motifs of maunga (mountain) and awa (river) outside and throughout the inside of the Church St building represent what is significant to the region. The artwork throughout the building continues the maunga and awa links.

One wall of the Tararua room on the ground floor is covered in a photo of the Tararua Range and wind turbines. The room is used not only by police, but by its community partners such as Neighbourhood Support.

Also on the ground floor are the front counter and waiting area, four interview rooms, the forensic photography studio, and offices.

The constables’ room is dominated by each officer’s kit bag ready to head out at a moment’s notice. The room is next to the carpark and the double doors allow efficient exit and entry. It is also near the cells, an improvement on the previous layout.

Small things like that made a big difference for frontline constables, Manawatū area commander and today’s tour guide Inspector Ross Grantham said.

The first floor is home to intelligence, the criminal justice unit and the prevention team, plus the workforce management team that does the rostering for the Central Police District.

Also working from that floor are the district command centre and staff who report to the district commander.

The tukutuku panels that used to be at the front counter have found a new home on this floor.

The wharekai (dining room) has extensive views over the ranges. Staff can choose between Happy Days-esque booths or tables, the latter of which can be moved to create a space for events such as award presentations.

The gym is on level 2 as is CIB, the major crime room and the organised crime unit, plus the adult sexual assault and child protection teams.

The station used to have a lot of small offices. It was now more open plan, which had improved communication and camaraderie, Grantham said. Carpet-lined walls dampen noise.

It is easy to move around and the leadership team is easily accessible.

The Palmerston North station was designed to withstand a major earthquake, keeping staff safe and allowing them to continue to work maintaining a 24-hour service, he said.

The Manawatū police area is huge, stretching from Ākitio on the east coast to Norsewood, west to Sanson and south to Peka Peka Rd.

There are 46 police stations in the Central Police District and 16 in Manawatū. Central District also includes Taranaki, Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei.

Grantham has been a police officer for 46 years, going to police college when he left school. He remembers working in the station across the road that closed in 2005.

The budget for the earthquake strengthening and refurbishment was $21,365,000, of which $1.75 million was for the refit of the leased building next door at 404 Church St. That building was used to house staff during the building project, and for 10 months the front counter.

The project is slightly below budget with 99 per cent of costs invoiced.

Work began on December 21, 2021, and was completed on February 29 this year.

When the new front counter opened in September 2022, police said the rest of the project would be finished in March 2023.

A spokesperson from the Police National Property Office said the project took longer than expected because the extent of the structural work was more complex than anticipated and the building required more strengthening.

The station remained open during the work, meaning tradespeople and police had to work around each other.

“To ensure the safety of our people, work was completed in stages rather than having an unoccupied building to work on,” the spokesperson said.

The building is now graded IL3 and is designed and strengthened to withstand the largest foreseeable earthquake and remain operable. Its earthquake-prone status has been removed by Palmerston North City Council.

The building can accommodate 290 staff with about 140 people now working there.

To create a more attractive and comfortable work environment, the building design featured an open-plan office with more natural light and could accommodate more people, the spokesperson said.

“By enabling people to work within the station comfortably, we have created better communication and team spirit.”

Judith Lacy has been editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001, and this is her second role editing a community paper.