Community Patrols New Zealand opened its patrol base in central Auckland on Tuesday, calling the launch an important milestone.
Patrols from CPNZ volunteers, police and Auckland central business association Heart of the City have ramped up over the years, after demand for more boots on the ground in the central city.
The CPNZ base tucked away on High Street promised to be a safety hub for those in the city needing assistance, and home base for patrollers moving about the area.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell attended today's opening alongside a number of uniformed police, stakeholders, and CPNZ volunteers, who regularly patrol the city alongside officers and business association staff.
Police at the opening event said retail theft was down in Auckland City by 15 percent year on year, while violence was down eight percent for the same period.
CPNZ Trust chairman Chris Lawton said the base acted as a safe place for volunteers to patrol to and from.
"It's also a visible presence for members of the public," he said.
"As they start to get to know that we're here, hopefully it reassures them, people feel safer, but we also now get people coming here for assistance and various things."
The opening ceremony of the CPNZ base on High Street in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
Lawton said there was potential for other city bases in future.
"Particularly Upper Queen Street or that mid-town area, and then of course you've got [Karangahape] Road," he said.
"Eventually, I can see us having those hubs, which are community based, community driven..."
Managing risk was a top priority for volunteers, Lawton said.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell told RNZ the push for a larger safety presence in the central city made it safer.
"We've seen a massive increase in beat officers, foot patrols, working with the council with their teams, CPNZ, Māori wardens.
"Make no mistake, we've still got a lot of work to do, but we're headed in the right direction and the CBD is definitely, without a doubt, becoming a safer place to be."
Mark Mitchell (right) at the opening of the CPNZ office in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
Mitchell said he wanted to see efforts in the central city continue to build.
"I've been really humbled by the way that everyone has responded in terms of making our CBD safer," he said.
"Everyone's come together and said 'hey together we can fix this, together we can make our city a city that we can be proud of and safe,' and we're headed in the right direction on that."
Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick said the base had been a long time coming.
"CPNZ, I've been engaged with for the last few years now, and it's been clear that community responses like this, there's eyes and ears on the street, and that local knowledge of what's going on in a community is what genuinely makes people safe, people looking out for each other," she said.
"The work that CPNZ do particularly in just being out and about, and making those connections, and also offering opportunity for intervention in people who may be experiencing hardship are precisely the kinds of things that through service provisions, support and outreach services, create a general sense of safety and comfort in city centre..."
The Community Patrols New Zealand new base in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
There were a number of issues the city central had to grapple with, Swarbrick said, such as those experiencing homelessness and an increase in those rejected from emergency housing, but she was heartened by the efforts of everyday Aucklanders wanting to make a difference.
"In lieu of seeing leadership from central government for several years, actually for decades now I would say, we have seen that amazing community initiatives like CPNZ have got off the ground and people have just got things done."
Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck said the mid-town base, as well as the CPNZ hub on the waterfront and police station on Federal Street, all played an important part in keeping the city safe.
She said they still wanted to see more police on the street before the opening of the City Rail Link next year.
"That's an underground offering, and we do believe that we have the numbers to warrant an increased number of police," Beck said.
"But, we do have a very strong network of organisations working together to make a safer place, so that's a positive."
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