Out and about – Lyttelton Ever wanted to have free coffee with a cop? The area managed by the Lyttelton Police station may soon be offering that opportunity. Lyttelton has had a Police station in the town for over 130 years and Sergeant Anna Partridge is the first female supervisor, a role she has held since March this year. The original Police station was built in the 1880s and was demolished in 2014 after being damaged in the Canterbury Earthquakes. A prefab on site currently provides office accommodation. Lyttelton Police cover an area from Port Levy, around the bays of Lyttelton Harbour and over the hill to include Sumner, Heathcote and Ferrymead, thereby providing a real mix of both rural and metropolitan policing. Each community proud of its own identity. Anna and her team are keen to break down barriers and become more accessible to the
community. Hence the ‘Coffee with a Cop’ idea. It gives the public the opportunity to come along and have a low-key chat with their local Police, where they can talk about issues that concern them or just meet the local Police over a cup of coffee. Regular meetings and interacting with groups helps to open up discussions on crime prevention, keeping ourselves and communities safe. Planned use of a mobile Police base in the area will also provide more accessibility to the Police. Staff attend as many front-line and community jobs as possible however, Lyttelton is not a 24-hour station. Anna is also the chair of the Women’s Advisory Network for Canterbury Police, role modelling a career path for other women in police.
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