Stan introduced Robin Hutton the Senior Sergeant for the Clutha District. Robin grew up in Dunedin and had a family connection with Waihola. He had most of his holidays in Waihola and his parents moved there when they retired. Robin started policing in 1998 in West Aucland and spent ten years there.He moved south in 2008 and had a variety of roles in Balclutha. Robin then spent two years policing at Dunedin Airport before moving to the Dunedin Central Police. In 2023 Robin became acting response manager for the Clutha District. Today he is responsible for the 24 staff covering the Clutha District. This is 2 short of the optimal number and currently is proving difficult to fill. The Clutha District operates an on call system so it is not a 24 hour Station.The main issues staff are dealing with are family harm incidents,road policing, rural theft, poaching and drugs. Mental health issues are a problem but police policy is stepping back from dealing with this. Another significant change Robin outlined is the use of smart phones in their daily work. They have become the "desk" for staff. In some cases this has been a challenge for older staff. Robin was asked a number of questions about the impact of the prison for policing in the District. He stated it had not adversely increased their work load despite the increase in prison inmates and the increased security level.
