“I’m heavily invested in this community, my kids go to school here, and we live here.”
That statement is a sign of the strong personal connection Counties Manukau East Police’s new communities manager has to east Auckland.
Senior sergeant Simon Cornish steps into the role previously held by Inspector Anson Lin, who recently left the area to take up a position with the police’s emergency communications and dispatch workgroup based in Otahuhu.
Cornish brings a wealth of experience to his new position, having been in the police for 14 years.
He most recently served as Counties Manukau East Police’s intelligence manager and has also worked in frontline and neighbourhood policing, organised crime, and with youth.
“I’ve covered a few different work groups and progressed through constable, sergeant, and now senior sergeant in the police, which I’m quite proud of,” he says.
One of his key tasks will be leading the monthly Community Partner meetings held at the Ormiston police station, which gives local groups the chance to network and receive updates from police on crime statistics and their work in the area.
Cornish believes the diversity of his previous roles gives him a solid understanding of policing and the staff he’ll be looking after.
“Also, the big thing is making sure the reassurance message of people being safe and us being visible, those are key things I want to bring to the role, so people know we’re here for the community.
“Partnerships is going to be big for me, working with community groups and being visible and available to them, and with anything groups in east Auckland would like to have input into or knowledge of, to share with them what I do.
“Making sure my staff are there for victims and having that victim focus, because we have vehicle crime and volume crime that’s hurting our community.
“Supporting them and being fully visible to everyone in the community is my goal and my plan here.”
Cornish encourages local groups that aren’t already part of the Community Partners network but would like to be to visit the Ormiston police station for more information.
And he’s keen to pay tribute to his predecessor in the communities manager role, Inspector Anson Lin.
“I was lucky to work with Anson in my junior years in the police. He was one of my first supervisors.
“Full credit to him. I want to acknowledge his promotion to inspector. It’s well deserved.
“He’s a colleague, but he’s also a friend. There are big shoes to fill for this community with what he’s done and achieved.
“I will continue the things he’s implemented and those relationship he’s built.
“I also want to encourage our community to reach out to police if they see something or have something happen to them.
“Don’t make assumptions that we’re aware of it already. Please reach out to us so we can do our job to the best of our ability, and they can make use of Crimestoppers also.”
Counties Manukau East Police area prevention manager, Inspector Rakana Cook, adds: “Having worked with Anson, I acknowledge the mahi he’s done throughout, and establishing that partnership space, but equally being for the community.
“I have every ounce of confidence in senior sergeant Simon Cornish, having worked with him on multiple operations and deployment matters, and knowing he’s here for the community, he’ll be there for the community, and he’ll do a fantastic job.
“He comes with a great skillset, great heart, and he will look after the community along with our people in the police.”
