The old police station is now used for the JSP office.
The Petone Historical Society uses the jail – which has four original cells – at the back as an office, for small exhibitions and as a mini-museum.
A long and colourful history...
The building at 274B Jackson Street – now housing the Jackson Street Programme office – has a long and colourful history.
It was built in 1908 as Petone’s police station and jail.
Its original location was only a few hundred metres away in Elizabeth Street, right next to the Petone Recreation Ground.
By the time the station was ready for use, in 1909, the number of local police had increased from three to four, with one sergeant, making it the most senior station in the Hutt Valley.
By the late 1940s, staff numbers were up to 12 and the station was over-crowded. Floods made it uninhabitable and eventually the station and adjoining cells were moved to the yard behind the courthouse at 13 Elizabeth Street.
Police used the courthouse as an office, but the lock-up continued to serve as holding cells – mainly for intoxicated offenders – up until 1978. The police station itself was used only as a storeroom and quickly became derelict.
The departure of Petone Central School from Jackson Street provided space for a new police station, which was opened in 1993. The Jackson Street Programme bought land next door in 1995.
After providing volunteer patrols in Jackson Street to help the police with petty crime, the Jackson Street Programme (JSP) was offered the old police station and jail for renovation. It was transported by truck to its present site at 274B Jackson Street, next to the new police station.
Ten young men who were considered at risk were given jobs to renovate the two buildings under the guidance of JSP co-ordinator Roy Cox. Following a design by conservation architect Ian Bowman, the two buildings were joined by adding a small kitchen and toilet. The project began in late 1994 and took 18 months to complete.