POLICE HOPE NEW STATION WILL DETER CRIMINALS

By CHRIS HARROWELL

The officer in charge of the new Howick Police station says he hopes its presence will help to deter people from breaking the law in the local community.

The new station, in Cook Street, opened in December last year, 10 months after the previous station, in Fencible Drive, was closed when the Auckland Council-owned property it occupied was sold.

Counties Manukau East Police initially planned to have the Howick-based community officers per- manently work from its Flat Bush headquarters. It reversed course after vocal opposition from the community and local National Party MPs Christopher Luxon and Simeon Brown.

Howick Police community services supervisor, sergeant Brett Meale, says since the new station opened he and his team are “already seeing a greater engagement between ourselves and the community”.

“Just in the number of people coming in, whether it’s about found or lost property, minor issues with neighbours, or anti-social behaviour in Picton Street.

“That’s the sort of stuff that now we’re back in town we can be around to deal with on a more consistent basis.

“It’s us being here and the reassurance from people seeing us around more.

“Even though we’re only open two days a week at the public counter, people are still coming in and talking to us. They know we’re here now and it’s been good.”

Meale says while the new station and its officers can’t stop all crime from being committed in Howick, he hopes it will have a positive impact.

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Over the weekend, National announced its FamilyBoost policy that will provide a childcare tax rebate to Kiwi families in need of extra support.

The cost-of-living crisis we face as a nation under the Labour Government is only expected to worsen this year, and if National is elected in October we will take immediate action to help struggling families.

Our policy will provide a 25 per cent rebate on early childhood education expenses, meaning up to $75 a week, or $3900 a year, back into the pockets of 130,000 families who need it most.

FamilyBoost will be available to families using licensed ECE pro-