Life is never dull when you¡¯re sole-charge in one of New Zealand¡¯s most remote locations ¨C the Chatham Islands. And when the population swells by almost a quarter due to COVID-19 restrictions it¡¯s definitely not.
Senior Constable Chris Mankelow has been flat out on tasks including making one of New Zealand¡¯s first arrests for breaking Level 4 restrictions. The free diving and spear-fishing he¡¯s learned to love since taking up the post two-plus years ago are on hold for now while he spends an estimated 90 percent of his time dealing with coronavirus-related duties.
He generally has a population of about 660 to oversee. But COVID-19 saw that grow when 150-odd boarders arrived home from shut-down colleges.
With schools and airports considered high-risk, they are all in self-isolation ¨C and ensuring they stay there has been added to Chris' daily routine. He¡¯s helped in this by the very good local health team, comprising a similarly sole-charge doctor and five nurses. They¡¯re also testing, but have only found the common cold so far.
Wife Michelle, a fellow police officer, is officially on parental leave with their three-month-old son Corey. But with 30 to 50 phone calls a day ¨C leading to congestion on the islands¡¯ phone lines - during the lockdown, she has been helping out. There¡¯s also three-year-old Larissa at home to be entertained, fed and tended to.
The arrested man was another returnee, back at his parents¡¯ request to self-isolate with them. After partying one night ¨C and they party hard on the Chathams, Chris says ¨C the man wouldn¡¯t leave so he was called to take him home. The next day he was caught out hunting, then later turned up drunk at a random address.
¡°Someone else had to break their bubble to drive him home that time,¡± Chris notes.
A few days later there were complaints about him doing burnouts, then the following day more complaints about his driving after an argument with his mother, leading to another callout.
¡°When I found him he was quite stroppy. He was arrested and spent the night in the cells.¡±
That meant a sleepless night ¨C a downside of the requirement to monitor those in custody when you¡¯re sole charge - followed by a flight escorting him to Christchurch the next day.
Conscious of his own bubble, large though it is, Chris didn¡¯t go beyond handing the man over to Christchurch Police on the tarmac before hitching a ride home on a cargo flight ¨C and grabbing some sleep.
Meanwhile, there are other complaints about breaches to deal with. Many of the residents don¡¯t have phones so he¡¯s driving all over the island delivering warnings and tellings-off, leaving Michelle on phone duty at the home station.
In common with mainland colleagues, Chris is seeing more family harm incidents ¨C and they are always a priority. But other work, including firearms licensing and some duties as deputy court registrar, is taking a back seat.
Chris did, however, have to carry out air traffic control and refuelling duties for a medivac flight ¨C not COVID-19-related.
Chris and family were due to leave the Chathams next month but for now it¡¯s wait and see.
Meanwhile, help is at hand ¨C he¡¯s about to gain a colleague on a temporary secondment. However, while the newcomer arrived on Good Friday, he won¡¯t be operational until after the mandatory 14-day self-isolation. Plenty of time to swot up on air traffic control, court registrar duties and whatever else the posting might throw their way.