Northernmost officer gets communities to judge their own

The country’s northernmost police station, Houhora, is a stone’s throw from a busy fishing wharf.

Boys with a hook and line haul out spotty after spotty, while impressive kingfish and snapper are off-loaded from boats.

Senior Constable Chris Yarnton, who runs the station, doesn’t manage much fishing himself – a year easily passes between trips – but local fishermen know they are welcome to leave their cars on the empty section behind the station while they head off for the day.

Senior Constable Chris Yarnton Photo: Kathryn Fitzpatrick, PNHQ

“It saves cars getting broken into, or having petrol siphoned off,” he says. It’s part of the lateral thinking that has been key to Chris’s crime prevention approach during his six years in the post.

Moving to this isolated outpost 40km north of Kaitāia was a considered choice, says Chris. During a seven-year stint at Auckland Central, he relieved at Houhora over two summers.

After four years on Auckland’s North Shore, the position came available due to retirement. Chris decided to apply although it meant dropping a rank from sergeant.

He enjoys taking a different approach to policing from the city. “You’ve got to be a good communicator. You can’t work on your own and be confrontational. You have to treat people right and be respectful.”

This has worked especially well with a restorative justice system he got going three years ago.

It started as a concept of ‘informal diversions’ for youth and child offenders, where Chris got the offender and their family to sit around a table at the police station and work out an appropriate penalty.

“I made a rod for my own back though, because I had to make sure the penalty was carried out.”

So he gradually handed over that responsibility to the offenders’ communities. Supported by a Kaitaia youth aid officer, Brian Camplin, and iwi liaison officer, Te Uri Reihana-Ngatote, he set up restorative justice groups in two remote villages.

Each community chose a panel of about six members to act on their behalf. They weren’t necessarily elders or kaumātua, but people of standing from different families, occupations and age groups.

At a typical group meeting, the alleged offender and victim front up with their families. The wider community is encouraged to attend. Chris reads the summary of facts. The offender is asked if they agree with the summary – so far, the offender has always said yes. The panel then invites a verbal apology and decides what other penalty should be put in place, for example, a full letter of apology, a charitable donation or work at the local school, church, marae or sports club.

Most offences considered by the groups have been minor but Chris says the court has recognised the two groups and referred back more serious adult offenders who have committed offences such as assault with a weapon and burglary.

“When these offenders have to front their communities, which often include their extended families, they’re not just a number like they are at court, and it’s not all over before they know it,” says Chris. “It has a big shame component. They don’t come back for a second go.”

It is early days, but all indications suggest the restorative justice groups have been an effective deterrent.

The Te Kao group was called every couple of months during its first year, but only once last year. It has not been required at all so far this year. The second group, in Te Hapua, has also been required less as time goes on.

The groups have reduced offending across the board, in particular Māori youth offending.

Chris believes the system works especially well for isolated Māori communities.

“Māori elders remember marae justice being done like this,” he says.

“The country’s three northernmost schools have 100 percent Māori children on the roll, but Māori youth offending in the area is right down.”

The system will soon be set up in comparable communities around northern Hokiānga.

It all adds to the satisfaction Chris gets from the job. “Around here, you’re not just a police officer. You’re a social worker, an advisor, a letter-writer and an advocate.”