Officer safety and a criminal industry which is becoming more mobile are the main reasons behind a new round the clock police base in rural Waikato.

A new 24/7 police base has been set up in Paeroa will service the Coromandel, Hauraki Plains and eastern Waikato areas after an extensive review.

Following a police review a new 24/7 police hub has been set up in Paeroa to service the Coromandel, Hauraki Plains and eastern Waikato areas. Photo: File

Existing 24/7 hubs in Te Awamutu and Huntly have seen a boost in numbers due to attrition and mergers with nearby Cambridge and Ngaruawahia, respectively.

Waikato police district commander Superintendent Bruce Bird said the review was about realigning resources to provide more frontline responders and give officers more access to supervisors.

"When a person rings up on a 111 call they don't care who is coming as long as someone gets there and that is the main principle here, to make sure we can do that, and our staff are backed up," said Bird.

In the northern Waikato tackling the "age old" problem of providing 24/7 capabilities had been a key issue raised during a series of police consultation days, said Bird.

"Strategically, because of its location, Paeroa was chosen and that meant we needed to staff it with sufficient staff to provide a 24/7 capability."

Two constables from Waihi Beach, which will become a patrol base, a constable from Ngatea and a vacancy at Te Aroha was transferred to Paeroa, to staff the new hub.

"To facilitate that we have also not filled some middle management positions here at district level, so that has created more constables to do that."

A sergeant from Whangamata has been relocated to Paeroa to provide the two sergeants needed to staff the 24/7 base.

Whitianga would remain the same, while there would be flexibility at Tairua with resourcing, especially during the winter months.

"The supervisory coverage for Whangamata will be provided from Thames and that was a staff suggestion, so we will keep an eye on that."

Two CIB staff working out of Waihi were now on the books in Thames but would be deployed to crime scenes throughout, said Bird.

A police incidence response car (icar), operated by two officers,will also provide back up to any callouts across the eastern region and Coromandel.

"This 24/7 capability is a new service that is being provided to the people of that region. Traditionally we would call out staff but now we will have a constant presence throughout that area."

Police had to work within existing baselines, and Bird said it wasn't about taking officers from beachside towns, but providing a mobile police force.

"I have been particularly taken with stories of constables called out saying my nearest support could be an hour to hour and a half away. With the icar, and depending on the supervisor roster...we have gone from having one staff to potentially having four staff."

He said increasing traffic between Tauranga and Auckland, a different demographic and a more highly mobile criminal environment had been drivers behind the changes.

"You only have to look in rural areas where they are using houses to cook meth (methamphetamine), a lot of criminals will travel at night to remain undetected, and because we are going more mobile we need to reflect that in policing.

"People can still visit the police station, they still exist, and to recognise the different needs people can still connect through various means."

Cambridge station, which Bird said was attempting to provide 24/7 cover with its 10 constables, would have its hours reduced and be co-policed with the 24/7 Te Awamutu base.

Ngaruawahia station remains open but first response staff have been merged with the 24/7 base in Huntly.

The reshuffle in rural policing was a result of a number of police consultation days and consultation with staff and key stakeholders.

- Stuff