Community patrol to support police

 

Summer is on its way and with it a lot more visitors and tourists will be heading to Mangawhai.

Crime prevention is a good place to start when it comes to keeping everybody safe and happy.

A local group is in the process of forming a committee along with a community patrol with the help and support of local police.

“The purpose of the group is to empower communities to prevent crime and create safer environments through the utilisation of trained and equipped volunteer patrols,” says group spokesperson Trevor Downey.

The community patrol will be a voluntary group of people giving some of their time and taking responsibility within their own community to help police make their community a safer environment in which to live.

“Any citizen who has a caring attitude to their community may offer their services.”

Community patrols may have links to local Councils and organisations sharing a similar interest in community safety but it is important community patrols remain autonomous and are managed by a committee of their members says Peter.

“Members will meet regularly for training and to discuss issues and opportunities.”

Local patrols are encouraged to affiliate with Community Patrols of New Zealand. A condition of affiliation is that the patrol has the support and confidence of the police and has a police liaison officer allocated to work with it.

Community patrollers act as 'eyes and ears' for police, patrolling their in pairs noting anything that could be suspicious and informing police immediately of incidents requiring urgent attention.

Some patrols have a very high profile in their community with a sign-written car, while others prefer to stay covert or drive their own car. Patrollers usually patrol once a month.

Applicants are vetted by the police before becoming patrol members and must complete a period of training (usually three months) where they work with senior patrollers.

Each member must sign a declaration of confidentiality and agree to abide by a code of conduct before working with the patrol.

n Interested in becoming a part of this group? Contact Trevor Downey on 0274 328 774.