“The law will also be changed to give greater weight to gang membership as an aggravating factor at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.”
Mr Little told Radio NZ this week that the legislation would give police officers another tool to stop gangs in Wairoa.
“The police do their job but then the judicial system lets them down.”
He believed that Wairoa had better policing resources than it did five or six years ago.
“We have been lucky to work with police and the policing ministers and are constantly engaged with them as a council.
“There are connections to Gisborne and Napier, but they are one-and-a-half hours away.”
Mr Goldsmith said over the last five years gangs had recruited more than 3000 members — a 51 percent increase.
“At the same time, we’ve seen a significant escalation in gang-related violence, public intimidation and shootings, with violent crime up 33 percent.
“We need to take action and reduce gangs’ ability to engage in criminal behaviour and prevent them from further endangering and intimidating Kiwis. “
However, on TVNZ’s programme Sunday, Police Association NZ president Chris Cahill said he was concerned about the police staffing situation in rural areas.
“Wairoa is an example of an area struggling to attract officers,” he said.
“We need to do something to change the staffing situation in rural areas.”
For the proposed legislation, police declined to comment on a district level and said their spokesperson was the Police Commissioner.
by Ben Ulisse
There was a mixed reaction to the Government’s legislative crackdown on gangs when The Wairoa Star talked to people on the streets of Wairoa earlier this week.
One resident felt it would only bring about more aggression while another said it would not work as police resources were already spread paper-thin.
“They don’t know what they’re doing. There’ll be a lot more violence towards cops,” Mike said.
“They’ve been trying this for years. Things are already stretched enough as it is in Wairoa,” said Jane.
Some were cautiously optimistic.
“It’s a bit ridiculous but good luck to them,” said Tom.
Others were hoping for a different approach altogether and believed the proposed measures would not be any more effective than current ones.
“It doesn’t work. It just gets worse,” said David S.
Māhia Rongomaiwahine kuia Pauline Tangiora said gangs were not the problem.
“Gangs are members of our community and we have had very little trouble outside of the gangs.
“Who do they hurt in Wairoa?”
Others had mixed feelings about patch culture in general.
“It’s gonna be very hard to control. It’s part of the fabric of the town,” said Dave.
“Each to their own, if that’s what they believe in,” said Kate.
“Not sure if I want them taking their jackets off. I prefer to know who the enemy is,” said Bruce.
“Some of them are bad eggs but not all are like that,” Faith K said.
