There are no police stations in Christchurch City available for public access on Friday night, raising questions about security measures.
A concerned resident reported visiting the Christchurch Central Police Station on Friday, only to be met with a notice on the door declaring the station closed at 4PM.
The central station typically remains open until 9PM on Friday.
Other police stations such as Christchurch South, Papanui, Hornby, and New Brighton close their doors to the public at 4PM on a Friday, leaving New Zealand’s second-largest city without a police station for public engagement.
The resident commented “crime is cancelled for today’.”
The deviation from normal operating hours was acknowledged by a police representative in a statement to Chris Lynch Media.
The early closure of the Christchurch Central Police station’s front counter was attributed to staff shortages affecting the front counter personnel.
The police spokesman said “Christchurch Metro Area Police remain able to respond to reported incidents 24/7.
“Members of the public are asked to phone 111 to report an immediate threat to safety, or 105 to report an incident after the fact.