On-the-Spot Policing for Ripiro Beach Next Summer

A police officer will be based full time at Ripiro Beach for six weeks next summer in a joint initiative involving Dargaville Police and Kaipara District Council.

Dargaville’s Youth Education Officer, Senior Constable Ian Anderson, will operate from Baylys Beach, starting just before Christmas and will cover the whole length of Ripiro Beach from Maunganui Bluff to Pouto. Senior Constable Anderson will enforce road rules with special emphasis on safety and also maintain a close working relationship with Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Fisheries.

Announcing the arrangement, the first for Ripiro Beach, Kaipara Mayor Neil Tiller and Dargaville Police Senior Sergeant Sue Leach acknowledge growing concern over vehicles and behaviour on beaches and dunes, involving both safety and the environment.

Also, 63 per cent of people surveyed at Ripiro Beach last summer identified vehicles as the most pressing problem and the need for action was tragically emphasised by a fatality at Glinks Gully last New Year’s Eve when a 13 year-old girl was struck by an unregistered motor bike.

Senior Constable Anderson is keen to start and especially wants to develop a close working relationship with the beach communities. The officer with 15 years police service is well qualified for the position, having grown up at a beach and filled a similar role at beaches in the Wairarapa. He has extensive 4WD experience and has passed an instructor’s course in diving.

While the owner of an inflatable boat he was involved in three rescues, including one in nine metre seas. As an added bonus his partner, Paula Campion, is an emergency nurse and will also be at Baylys Beach for the six weeks.

While police provide the personnel, Kaipara District Council is providing the officer with accommodation, which will be signposted.

Mayor Tiller believes the Police presence will make a big difference to public behaviour.

“That is the main issue,” he says. “Our west coast is not the wild west coast and has rules and behaviour expectations like anywhere else. People’s behaviour on the beach has to change”.

“I hope the public will get right behind the Police and give the officer all the help they can.”

Senior Sergeant Leach says everyone she has spoken to is keen to see the Police on the beach and is confident this will make an impact.

“When I was at Horowhenua we always had an officer at Waitere and Foxton beaches where it dramatically improved behaviour and the standard of vehicles, as well as reducing thefts and beach damage”.

“I would like to see this as an on-going arrangement, and to start building up specialist gear like a defibrillator and perhaps lifesaving gear.”

Both Council and Police are keen that the policing at Ripiro Beach should involve the community as much as possible. Police would welcome the loan of a quad bike to assist with high tide access and Senior Constable Anderson would also appreciate company on patrols for companionship, possible assistance and to take advantage of local knowledge.

Mayor Tiller says work is also continuing toward solving other complex problems concerning the coast which include the present jurisdiction situation where Kaipara District Council is responsible above high tide and the Northland Regional Council (NRC) and Department of Conservation (DOC) below.

Kaipara District Council is working closely with NRC - which has taken a leading role in addressing the matter on a regional basis - plus DOC and the Police to produce a long term solution.

It is keen to also see meetings arranged with communities to allow them to identity issues and suggest local solutions. The Council hopes this will help produce a community buy-in which will assist in changing behaviour.