Two senior Wellington Police District managers are changing roles, Superintendent John Kelly, District Commander, announced today.
Inspector Rod Drew, the Wairarapa Area Controller since July 1997, will from next week take up the district’s field crime manager role at Wellington Police District Headquarters. Inspector John Johnston, Upper Hutt’s Area Controller since November 1999, will take over the Wairarapa Area with a new appointment to be made for Upper Hutt.
"Both officers have contributed significantly to the Areas under their command and are well skilled to take up their new positions," Superintendent Kelly says.
The detective inspector’s position has been vacant since June when the previous manager, Detective Inspector Stu Wildon was promoted to superintendent at the Office of the Commissioner.
Detective Inspector Drew has an extensive CIB background. He joined the police as a cadet nearly 30 years ago and, apart from two years as a shift commander at Wellington Central and the last six years as the officer in charge of the Wairarapa, he has spent most of his career in the CIB. He’s worked in both Wellington, Hastings and at the Office of the Commissioner.
His new position involves day to day interaction with CIB offices throughout the Wellington Police District, and he will have special responsibility for managing crime and crash reduction strategies.
Inspector Johnston is no stranger to the Wairarapa. A local resident, he’s also worked in Masterton as a frontline sergeant, senior sergeant and now as the inspector.
He’s been a police officer since 1970, and has also worked in Hastings, Wellington and in a management audit role at the Office of the Commissioner.
Inspector Johnston also chairs the New Zealand Police Council of Sport. This year he is managing the Wairarapa Bush team in the NPC, having previously managed the Under 20 and the Sevens sides.
Relieving inspectors will stand in at Upper Hutt until the position is advertised and permanently filled.