The Thames community will have access to a 24-hour, seven day a week police presence when the town's station is upgraded in the 2018/19 financial year.

Police are also looking to create new specialised taskforces that will target organised crime around the country and be made up of investigative staff, asset recovery specialists and forensic staff, with the first to be established in the Western Bay of Plenty in 2017/18.

The Thames station upgrade and specialised taskforces are part of the Government's $503 million Safer Communities investment package into policing which was announced by Prime Minister Bill English in February.

Details of the Police Commissioner Mike Bush says all of the country's 12 police districts will benefit from the investment, with each to receive a portion of the extra 880 sworn and 245 non-sworn staff to be recruited over the next four years.

'We have carefully considered where the additional 880 staff should go and where they will make the most difference. Our allocation model has taken into account changing crime patterns, increased demand and population growth.

'This investment package provides a significant opportunity for police to address the pressures facing some of our districts and expand on the work being done to make New Zealand the safest country.”

As part of this investment, Mike says they are also committed to meeting new targets set by the Government, which includes 95 per cent of Kiwis living within 25km of a 24/7 police base by 2022.

To achieve this, police will transform 20 stations into '24/7 response bases” which will allow active patrols to cover an addition 200,000 Kiwis.

The first four bases to be upgraded during the 2017/18 year will be Wairoa, Matamata Kaitaia and Rolleston, followed by Thames, Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, Motueka, Wanaka, Balclutha, Dargaville, Marton, Helensville, Alexandra, Stratford over the next four years.

Stations in Southland Rural, Kerikeri/Kaikohe, Warkworth/Wellsford, Tasman Rural and Waipukurau/Dannevirke will also be upgraded once a decision on locations are made by police.

The rural community will also benefit, with up to 40 of the 140 extra officers earmarked for regional and rural areas and will form a Rural Duties Officer Network which will focus on rural issues, building strong local networks and supporting confident rural communities.

While a priority for police preventing victimisation in families and in the home.

'We will have 140 new staff to focus on family harm, child protection and adult sexual assault. We want all families, particularly children to be safe in their homes.”

The Safer Communities package also gives Police resources to develop a single non-emergency number, a new crime-reporting line, 12 mobile police stations, 20 extra ethnic liaison staff and 24/7 operation of Eagle helicopter.

'All of this makes Police more accessible and more visible so that we can be where people need us, when they need us.”

District Commanders will now consider where the new staff are best placed within their districts to target and catch offenders, prevent harm and victimisation and provide a more responsive police service to communities.

'More details will be provided in the coming months around some of the work our new and existing staff will be doing in these priority areas.”