Weta class visited the Christchurch Central Police Station last Thursday morning.

Continuing with our theme of inviting parents to share what they do or what they are passionate about, Mr Craig Newman invited Te Ngahere Hub to visit him at the Police Station in St Asaph Street.

The new Police Station is a one story prefab type temporary structure until the brand new multi million dollar station is built. Over 300 people work at this station and it hosts people who break the law as well as overflow from the Christchurch Prisons.

We started our tour in the room with all the cameras that are positioned around Christchurch and North Canterbury. There are currently approx 150 cameras watching us. We saw the Northern Motorway cameras, the Rangiora cameras and a lot of the Christchurch ones. These cameras are used to record crimes and driving offences in these specific areas and used in evidence.  The students enjoyed this room and it was very interesting for the parents too!! We really are being watched. The cameras are so powerful they can zoom in and read your text messages. We zoomed in on a little boy playing in the Margaret Mahy playground with his mummy.

Then we moved onto the AOS room at the back of the station where the 'Men in Black Pyjamas' hang out waiting for a callout. We got to look (not touch) their guns and other weapons used in the more serious side of crime fighting in New Zealand. We were especially lucky to be allowed in the room as it is not usually a place where children would go, or other staff in the Police Station.

From there, we went to see the cells where the criminals are processed and kept until they are moved to court or prison. It was a very sobering visit for everyone and not somewhere we ever want to go again! The outfits the criminals get to wear are hideous! Worse than hospital gowns!

Then as we were leaving, the lovely officers offered to get out a couple of the police dogs. They were very excited to see the children and we were a bit nervous until they got used to us. One was a puppy still training and the other was a lovely dog who was about 5 years old. Police dogs are retired at 7 years old. The children loved having a pat.

Then Mr Newman offered us to have lunch in the police cafe courtyard, it was a beautiful quiet garden area in the middle of the station and the children made some new friends.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and we would like to say a special thank you to Mr Newman and all the parents who helped us get there.