Cape Coast Community Patrol gets fresh wheels for expanded patrols

Hayden Hansen, Peter Zapasnik and Catherine Webster, of Cape Coast Community Patrol, with their new vehicle, after losing the last one to Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Paul Taylor

A local community patrol is continuing its expanded coverage of flood-affected areas with a new vehicle after losing its last one to flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle.

Cape Coast Community Patrol co-ordinator Hayden Hansen said it had had the old patrol vehicle for only a year before it was damaged by floodwaters where it was parked at the Haumoana fire station.

“After it all sort of happened, we wanted to get back out in the community and start patrolling. That’s when we found out it was involved in the flooding and just filled with water,” Hansen said.

He said Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ) stepped up to lend an emergency ute for Cape Coast Community Patrol to continue its work over the past seven months until it could get a new vehicle.

CPNZ and the community patrols under it prevent crime and reduce harm through the active presence of trained patrollers.

CPNZ is funded at a national level by police and the Government, while local patrols like Cape Coast raise their annual operating expenses from local grants, sponsorship and donations.

With the loaned vehicle, Cape Coast Community Patrol has greatly expanded the its patrol area to support flood-stricken communities in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Hansen said the scope of its patrols had increased “big time” from when they used to cover only Te Awanga, Haumoana and Clifton.

He had attended community meetings in Pakowhai where residents and police reached out, requesting their presence for reassurance and as a deterrent to looters.

“They were getting looting going on and a lot of stuff going missing and getting stolen, and that is when I stepped up and said ‘hey, we can patrol in your area day and night’. That is what we do, we’ve been doing that since the flood and we are carrying on doing that.”

He said a typical patrol included making themselves available for people to approach with information about what they had seen and passing on information to police or the council.

“At night time we see stolen vehicles, dumped vehicles, boy racers that gather into areas where we target those.”

He said he remembered finding a person in the act of siphoning petrol from vehicles on one patrol and being able to catch them.

“We can always have quiet nights or days out when nothing happens, but it is all about being out there and being seen. You are eyes and ears for the police.”

With insurance and the help of a bit of community fundraising and support from Eastern and Central Community Trust, Hansen said the patrol had been able to purchase the new vehicle.

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz