New Police roading manager – Keeping us safe
If anyone knows the dangers of the various conditions on Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes roads its newly appointed Otago Lakes Road Policing Manager Senior Sergeant Clint Wright.
In his 22 years in the force in the South Island the born and bred West Coaster has seen the tragic consequences of impatience, speeding, alcohol and drug impaired driving, and momentary lapses in concentration or extremely poor judgement.
Attending traumatic scenes, then delivering horrific news to loved ones is one of the most challenging and troubling aspects of policing, but one of the most important, Wright says. “We’re there to try and help make those horrific instances in some way bearable for families, supporting them with compassion and empathy.”
While there’s not a lot of good news stories in policing, Wright says they like to celebrate the successes and “feel like they’re making a change for good”.
“As an emergency service many people don’t see the challenges we experience under the cover of darkness but it’s rewarding to feel like you’re making a change,” he says.
Road Policing is probably the most concerning area for him right now. “We’re in an area that’s very seasonal with massive growth and an increase in traffic movement that comes with that whether it’s during the ski season, summer or international holidays. The gap between those seasons is getting smaller and it seems to be eventful year-round issue.”
It’s the tragic outcomes they see that drive Police to work as hard as they can to keep people safe, he says. “I want us to be successful at that. We do all we can do but sometimes the human aspect is hard to control,” he says.
Born and raised in Greymouth, Wright began his career there in 2004, moving to Hokitika for a few years then to Gore for eight years where he was promoted to Public Safety Team Sergeant. He was then promoted to Senior Sergeant and moved to Alexandra in 2018 as the Central Otago Area Response Manager.
Wright says his career has been focused on regional towns and while it’s a lot drier in Central Otago policing is the same everywhere. “It’s the same job just in different places with their environmental challenges.”
Fresh from a 12-month deployment as Police Advisor to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Police near Papua New Guinea, Wright has been part of a team restructuring the local policing services training packages to modernise and train up officers there. NZ Police have been involved with this programme for almost 30 years.
That was a very different policing environment to ours. “We were there to modernise their training regimes, to bring their learning into current day policing best practice.” Bougainville Police have few resources. “They have an auxiliary police service that works out in their villages, working 20 hours a week and on occasions waiting months to get paid,” he says.
Wherever he’s worked the communities have always been very helpful and supportive. “You’re identifiable and it’s important you’re known.”
Wright’s Road Policing management role began just over a month ago, his main aim is to “continue the very good work from the current and previous Road Policing staff to do our best to keep our roads, highways and communities safe as the regional growth continues”, he says.
“Otago Lakes is a fabulous place to live and work. Our little boutique towns have changed dramatically and will grow exponentially in the near future. We will continue to be out there, doing our best each day.”
