Community Constable Glynn Sharp and CHB Community Safety Trust founding trustee Lloyd Lawrence have been the major drivers behind the CCTV cameras.
Constable Sharp organised for Inspector Kura to present a police Certificate of Appreciation to Lloyd, who singlehandedly raised $12,000 after door-knocking 287 businesses and organisations for money for the cameras, which also received a $25,000 grant from the Infinity Foundation.
Constable Sharp said Lloyd had done a "tremendous amount of work, footslogging up and down and knocking on doors".
"We've been looking at these cameras for a few years now and the funding was always going to be an issue. He's done a really good job," he said.
Inspector Kura told Lloyd the police certificate was in recognition of his "tenacious and tireless" fundraising efforts for the cameras, which, when used properly, were an effective crime prevention tool.
"I look at your involvement with CHB Community Patrol, and this is an extension of what you already do and are passionate about.
"If everyone thought about what they could give back to their communities, rather than take ... we'd be in such a different place," she said, before reflecting the certificate seemed "a little trite".
"It's not nearly enough."
Lloyd, a founding member of the trust, said he became convinced of the need for cameras 14 years ago.
In accepting the certificate, Lloyd, who also volunteers as a driver for the RSA and NZ Red Cross, said he was not in it for the recognition.
"I'm a great believer in supporting your community. But this I will treasure," said Lloyd, who vowed he wouldn't sleep until all the remaining cameras had been installed and were operational.
"The job's not done yet," said Lloyd, who thanked his "darling wife" Ruth and fellow trustees, including an absent Bodee Oliver from DAC Legal in Waipukurau, who performed the legal work pro bono to set up the trust in September 2016.
Other key people who attended the celebration included trustees, ex-detective John Brans and CHB district councillor Gerard Minehan, former district councillor Di Petersen, who helped with funding applications, contractor Mike King from Impact Alarms, who sourced and installed the cameras at cost, CHB officer in charge Sergeant Ross Gilbert and CHB Mayor Alex Walker.
Ms Walker said that after Lloyd made a presentation to the CHB District Council earlier this year, staff had been instructed to find ways for council to contribute to the estimated $2000 a year in maintenance costs needed for the camera network.
"So we're definitely on board," the mayor said.