Senior Constable Andrew Osborne with Constable Capunitan
Policing one of New Zealand’s most remote islands comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to staying connected.
Until recently, Senior Constable Andrew Osborne, based on Great Barrier Island, often found himself out of mobile range and out of contact.
“There were areas where we had zero cell coverage,” Andrew says.
Such coverage gaps can limit communication between teams. “There’s no way to check messages or talk to Police Comms,” says Andrew.
But since the rollout of the Public Safety Network (PSN) Cellular Roaming Service in 2024 to NZ Police, Andrew says things have changed dramatically.
With just two officers covering the island (and sometimes only one), improved cellular coverage has made policing more convenient, efficient, and safe.
Previously, Andrew and his colleagues would stop at known coverage points, like the Okiwi airfield, just to check in before heading into areas where communication would drop out completely.
“It’s been awesome for us. Now we can go about our work without worrying as much about losing coverage.”
The PSN Cellular Roaming Service automatically switches between Spark and One NZ networks, giving officers better, more consistent coverage across the island.
“We now use the Responder Police app to update jobs in real time,” Andrew says.
“Before, we had to wait until we were in range and then call it in. Now we’re not tying up Comms, and we’re getting the job done faster.”
The benefits are even more obvious in high-risk situations. Andrew recalls a recent job on a stormy night when the police boat and helicopter couldn’t respond.
“We were in the middle of nowhere, but we could still talk to Comms most of the time. That hasn’t always been the case.”
For officers like Andrew, the PSN Cellular Roaming service isn’t just about convenience. It’s also about having the right tools to do the job properly, staying connected, and getting home safely.