CRAIG Lindstrom said he had beneffited from a great family support system.
We were told at the recent public meeting on crime that smaller towns have a better opportunity to solve their crime problems than larger centres, because there will always be a far smaller mumber of offenders to deal with. Is this true?
That’s correct. Local knowledge goes a long way towards solving local conflicts and obtaining solutions before [things get too serious]. Any amount of crime is a bad thing, of course, but we fare very well in comparison to other similar-sized towns and locals, we really do.
Are you alarmed or downcast about the current rate of crime in Te Kūiti?
No, we certainly have little spikes, but the frequency is the issue with these kinds of cycles. We might have periods of noticeable crime trends, then long periods of the bare minimum. I have seen them come and go over the years. What brought the local community out [three months ago] were problems that were cyclical. Even in the short period since then, the crime spikes have dropped. Which is not to say that there are not still areas of concern that could be raised. Whether it be police response or the numbers of police staffing. There are also concerns being expressed which don’t really come under the police’s umbrella, such as over vaping. And when it comes to drug use, my view is we are no better or worse off than any other community.
At the last public meeting on crime in Te Kūiti we were told Te Pae Oranga alternative justice panels had much better track record in cutting down re-offending rates than district courts. What is your view?
There is a lot of science behind that conclusion. They obviously have had some very good results. I know they have just opened up this process in Huntly. There is a lot of merit to the concept. It is another type of diversion for want of a better word – that’s all it is, but just centrally focussed on certain parts of the community . . . There is probably a better realisation of what you have done when you are faced with the people directly.
How did you dissipate the stress of the job?
It is around the family. I have a very good family support base. I have generally been able to leave work at work, though sometimes it can follow you home. Also, our group of friends. We have a good base of friends who don’t judge us or get overly concerned with what is happening in my work environment. I’m not Craig the policeman, just Craig the local. We also have access to a family place at the Lake [Taupō] and we go down there a fair bit.
You are easy to approach; is that down to nature or nurture?
Probably more to do with upbringing, I think. Having a nonjudgmental attitude toward people just works for me; it makes my life easier.
Police deal with difficult people and see a lot of bad things. A common expectation of a policeman is that by retirement age they’ll be jaded and a bit cynical. How have you avoided these things?
“I don’t know. I don’t have any regrets with anything I have done in my career, or choices I have made. I don’t have any regrets over my decision to leave either. I would rather leave now, while I am in a happy place. Getting those kind of attitudes does happen and whether that is mainly due to frustrations in the job, I don’t know. Some aspects of the job I am not too fussed on, but that is probably just old age catching up with me. The differences in policing from where I started, to where I am now are quite significant, obviously. And I’m not always that comfortable with the way we deal with things as an organisation.”
For example: Craig says although he understands that police carrying firearms at times is essential, he does not support the routine arming of police. “That’s not driving me out or anything – it’s just a personal preference.”
Is there enough or young people to do in Te Kūiti?
Each generation complains that there isn’t enough to do. But if you look at it, there are plenty of opportunities for the young ones, whether that be playing sports, hunting, fishing, or whatever. It comes down to individual choices in my view.
Are the police saddled with too much responsibility to clean up all the ills of society?
Yes, though it could be by default. We are one of the last organisations operating 24-hours a day. It’s fair to say increasing social problems have put more pressures on the services of the police. And possibly more expectations on what the police are there for.
