Foot patrols aim to stamp on crime

8th March 2010

They come from islands apart but together Constable Greg Betham and Community Officer Kepa Lousi are making Whangarei's central city safer.

Mr Betham, who is of Samoan descent, and Mr Lousi from Tonga are the new faces on the beat as part of the CitySafe initiative between Whangarei District Council, police and the chamber of commerce.

CitySafe was launched in 2008 as a crime prevention and safety scheme for the central city and a number of initiatives have already developed, including a 24/7 hotline - for non-emergency reports such as broken glass, defaced signs, rubbish, graffiti or people loitering around inviting trouble - and monitored CCTV cameras.

Offenders  who ignore warnings will eventually see the rules enforced.

This week the beat constable and new community officer hit the streets on foot.

Mr Betham said central city retailers and the public had been asking for a constant police presence in the area.

 "The aim of the beat constable is to have a visible police presence in the city, so that people can feel safe as they go about their business.

 "The two roles are aimed at enhancing safety in the CBD, attracting more people to the area, providing information about street locations, parking areas, and CitySafe activities as well as enforcing council bylaws within the CBD."

Mr Betham has eight years' experience on the frontline in West Auckland, Wellington and Whangarei. He has plenty of local knowledge, having been born and bred in Whangarei.

His role includes preventing crime such as shoplifting, vehicle theft  and truancy.

Mr Lousi has worked in the security industry  for 15 years and was a youth counsellor with the Mormon Church.

Whangarei District Council senior community services adviser Owen Thomas said the CitySafe programme was in its early days.  It was focused on setting a strong foundation in the CBD before expanding  to the wider city area.

Over the past 10 weeks the call centre had received 52 calls from the public, which had been shared between the police and the council.

 The calls were related to  graffiti, shoplifting, disorder, skateboards, offensive behaviour and rubbish.

Mr Thomas said the call centre process was still being trialled and the number of reported incidents within the CBD was expected to increase with the start of the new  patrols in the  area.

CitySafe utilises  a network of monitored CCTV cameras at  Whangarei Police Station and over the  past five months the system has detected  about 130 incidents.

 
Call CitySafe on 0800 258 258. If a crime is in progress,  calls should be made to  111.