How does a former soldier and detective come to be community policing in an isolated East Coast village?

Ōpōtiki News reporter Paul Charman sat down with recently appointed Te Kaha senior constable Matt Akuhata to find out.

Matt Akuhata is the first of two new police officers who will staff the isolated Te Kaha station.

He arrived six weeks ago and is responsible for policing a patch that covers the entire Te Whānau-ā-Apanui iwi boundaries, about 100 kilometres of coastline from Hāwai to Potaka.

Mr Akuhata said it’s been like coming home, as he was born in Hunterville and grew up firstly in Gisborne and then from Year 7 onward on a remote sheep station at Tokomaru Bay.

Living at Huiarua Station provided a fantastic childhood, a kind that’s fast disappearing as - like many others - the vast station has now been lost to pines.

His eyes light up at the memory of farm life and being one of just 20 children attending Mata School.

“It was a wonderful lifestyle and maybe one not so common now. We didn’t know what PlayStation was in those days, as there was so much to do after school and at weekends. We were always off on our motorbikes, riding horses, playing war games with sticks and so on.”

“At school I was also told I had potential but just wasn’t reaching it.”

However, later as a boarder at Gisborne Boys High School, Mr Akuhata experienced his 15 minutes of fame.

“In my last year I was hooker for the 1st XV which took part in the secondary schools national top four competition; the four best schools in the country for that year. We were runners up to Wesley College. It was a big achievement for rural kids to firstly make the top four and then to play against the best teams in the country, something I was proud to be a part of. I even-steam rolled 14-year-old Jonah Lomu, who was playing for Wesley College. But that’s just a joke, because even at 14, he was big. . .”

"Even today it’s stayed with me, in that I’d like to see every teenager find something they're good at. For me, high school was a positive experience, though I had no idea what I was going to do later.

“But I did realise that I was teetering on the verge of doing silly things, so I went down to the recruiting office and joined the Army.”

Initially serving as a signalman in the artillery, Mr Akuhata’s 10 years of military service culminated in operational tours to Bosnia and Timor-Leste.

“Early in my career, in 1995, I deployed to Bosnia. I remember my first trip moving from Split, a major coastal city in Croatia, into Bosnia, and seeing first-hand the level of the devastation caused by the war there. This brought home for me what we were entering and the tensions that existed in this part of the world.

“When I deployed to East Timor in 2001, I was a seasoned junior leader and given responsibility for a 10-man infantry section. We arrived just after Private Leonard Manning lost his life to the pro-Indonesian militia. We were highly trained, highly motivated and superbly fit.

"It was all very exciting at times, at other times boring.

“We had to grow up quickly, going into totally unfamiliar environments. Dealing with people we never knew existed required a fast-learning curve.

“Reflecting now, those tours made me more self-disciplined and resilient – they helped mould who I am today.”

Mr Akuhata credits the army for numerous skills added to his resume. Above all, the structure and self-discipline required to succeed. However, eventually with a partner and two young sons he began to long for less time away from home and an improved family life.

After East Timor, he was looking for a job that would keep him home most of the time. He chose the police and as he was then living in the Manawatu, Mr Akuhata  began his police career in Palmerston North in 2002.

Following four years of front-line, he transitioned to CIB and has spent most of his 24-year police career as a detective, the last two years based in Wellington.

How has he managed such longevity in a career well known for early retirements?

“You can do it, but you must ensure it doesn’t consume you. This, it can very easily do.

“There’s constant pressure of file work and having to go to various incidents continuously. . . Without good strategies and the ability to look after yourself, you’ll quickly get deflated.

“Simply put, you need regular breaks to re-charge physically and mentally, plus having interests outside of work to help keep you grounded.

“When I saw this job advertised it was just the kind of thing I’d been thinking about. There was a need, and I was at a point where I was drawn to an environment more like I grew up in.

“I had worked in serious crime for about 20 years but wanted more involvement with community-style policing.”

A few days before Ōpōtiki News met him, Mr Akuhata had attended a hui at Whangaparoa – a 40-minute drive from the police station - comprising many of the agencies working with isolated communities on the Coast.

“The job is all about building relationships and networks, not only with the locals but with all support agencies working with them. Our patch here covers a vast geographic area, so what could be a five-minute job can turn into an hour-long one.

“So, my best tool is my ability to speak to people. Being able to talk to people is indispensable in a job like this where one is totally isolated. Backup is an hour away so first and foremost I’ve got to be able to communicate effectively with people to sort things out.

“I’d like to think life thus far has prepared me for this. I’ve almost come full circle and am enjoying being in this role - I’m here to help.”