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Report - - Palmerston North Police Station, Palmerston North - October 2014 | European and International Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Palmerston North Police Station, Palmerston North - October 2014

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WildBoyz

Is this the future?
28DL Full Member
Palmerston North Police Station, originally one of four stations in the city, was completed in 1938 at a cost of £30,000, and operated up until 2005. The existing building was built on the site of the former wooden Victorian era police station and, in keeping up with modernist ideas and technologies sweeping across the county at the time, its design included seismic resistant concrete. Respectable structural engineers from California, Japan and New Zealand worked in partnership to implement and advance the use of reinforced concrete throughout its construction. The building is also based on a stripped classical style, which restricts the use of classical design elements (i.e. columns, decorations and pediments), and much of the exterior is plastered over to exhibit imitation stone joints. At the time, Palmerston North was considered to be an exemplary example of a modern police station in the southern hemisphere, and it attracted much attention from the Australian State Police who requested the site’s plans to assist in the construction of their own stations across the Tasman. It was reported that the police station stood to represent efficiency and subsequently a large number of cells, most equip with a toilet and some with a shower, were incorporated into the building’s design, alongside living quarters and other areas for staff. Interestingly, after the closure of the former Palmerston Police Station crime, between 2006-2010, rose significantly and the overall rate for the city was equal to the rest of New Zealand as a whole; although crime rates have dropped in more recent years.

What began as nothing more than a small clearing in a forest, formerly occupied by indigenous Maori communities, the city of Palmerston North has risen to become one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand. Since the arrival of British and Scandinavian Europeans, the area has been entirely transformed and as the forests disappeared farmlands and cityscape began to appear.

Well folks, it happened, we finally found ourselves holed up in a police station, and an especially grim one at that. Three people or more to most cells, traditional plastic coated foam mattresses, one shared stainless steel toilet (with an incorporated sink on top), a shower if you’re lucky, graffiti from former inmates, and a peep hole for the guards to watch you taking a shit. As we arrived in the city police presence was tremendously high, and as we discovered the new police station is only a few hundred metres down the road. Nevertheless, we managed to amble on inside and the explore was excellent. Although it’s mostly stripped, many of the original features survive and you get a good feel for what it would be like being a ‘bad-guy’ in one of the old Robocop films. The graffiti inside the cells is incredible; a mixture of former gang members’, general ‘bad-guys’’ and Maori captives’ thoughts and feelings. There’s a certain sense of satisfaction to be had being able to see police officers walking outside the windows and watching them move about the street when you pop your head over the edge of the rooftop.

Explored with Urbex Central NZ; Nillskill and Zort

1: Palmerston North Police Station

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2: Coat of Arms

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3: Old Paperwork

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4: Small Cell

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5: Large Cell

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6: Peep Hole for Guards (Opposite Toilet Inside Cell)

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7: Willy Mitford - A Warning for You

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8: Viva La Revolution

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9: The Other End of a Larger Cell

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10: Stainless Steel Toilet and Sink

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11: Corridor to Cells

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12: Toilet Roll and Bar of Soap (One each for every cell, after that, you're using your hand)

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13: Fume Cupboard

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14: Examination/Evidence Sink

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15: Steve Irwin

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16: Booking Room - Looking Down into Cell Blocks

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17: Temporary Holding Cell

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18: Booking Room

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19: Print Room

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20: Front of Station - The Public Side

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21: Map of Palmerston North - Inside Chief's Room

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22: Main Reception - For the Innocent Folk

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23: Main Reception and Front Door

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24: Staircase Shot

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25: Upstairs - Staff Areas

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26: Staff Bar

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27: Palmerston North Main Street

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28: The New Police Station

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29: Behind the Reception Booth

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30: A Very Large Camera

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31: Prisoner Drop-Off Area

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jST

LLS.
Regular User
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

That's really interesting, used to live on the North Island myself as a nipper in the 80's.
 

1nk4

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

loving all your reports mate!!
 

Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

Quality report mate, top stuff as usual :thumb

Looks like it would have been a proper grim place to spend a night in the slammer (not that there's ever a good place I suppose!) but an amazing explore! Nice work :)
 

slayaaaa

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

Nice one mate, looks good with those cells.
 

ACID- REFLUX

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

I thought you had something good to post up ? :D

Nice ones mate :thumb as usual

Just think In 50 years it'll still be in better "nick" than Sheff" courts is now :)

Pity the Steve Irwin mug didn't show a Stingray that'd have been ironic lol

Keep up the good work mate :)
 

The_Raw

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

Yes to getting holed up in a police station, keep em coming mate! :D
 

Limerick_Student

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

Awesome stuff, really liking this! The graffiti in the cells is a great find.
 

WildBoyz

Is this the future?
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

New Zealand has some darn good places to check out! Another reason to visit this splendid country!

It certainly does :thumb Got plenty more to come.
 

Seagull

rave on
28DL Full Member
Re: Palmerston North Police Station - Palmerston North - October 2014

more top work sir
 

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