Community patrol roars into action

Senior Constable Pete Gimblett and Napier Community Patrol coordinator Sandy Ibbotson plan the rural patrol patches. Photo / Warren Buckland

The arrival of the "roar" season across rural stretches of Hawke's Bay will also see the influx of Napier Community Patrol units across country roads.

"We will be putting in three or four patrols a week," coordinator of the volunteer-crewed group Sandy Ibbotson said.

It will be the third year the patrols have targeted a wide spread of rural areas to the north and west of Napier, and areas known to be popular hunting spots.

Taradale Community Police Senior Constable Pete Gimblett said while lawful hunters were drawn to the areas they also attracted poachers who had no hesitation in going on to private properties with loaded guns.

"This is an ongoing problem but at this time of the year we see an increase," Mr Gimblett said.

Along with coordinator Sandy Ibbotson, Mr Gimblett was instrumental in helping get the Napier Community Patrols up and running eight years ago, and he said it had grown to be an "invaluable" association with policing.

That had been borne out by vehicle break-in statistics taken during major sporting events.

"In the old days when there was a big match on we'd get 20 or 30 reports of cars being broken into around the nearby streets, but since the community patrols started up in 2007 we've only had one reported."

With about 240 volunteers available for the rostered patrols in the city (the biggest number in any New Zealand centre) and six cars in the fleet, Mr Gimblett and Mrs Ibbotson recognised there were the resources available to include a wider patrol patch.

Rural incidents such as poaching, rustling and burglaries had always been difficult to target.

"I can't get out there as much as I would like but the patrols are able to, so that is a huge bonus," Mr Gimblett said.

He said the volunteer rural patrols were unique to Hawke's Bay. The most at-risk areas had been identified and the patrol teams had been briefed on the "warning signs" by Mrs Ibbotson, who was in constant liaison with Mr Gimblett.

There had been several "good calls" from patrollers to police and their obvious presence had clearly been a deterrent, some rural residents had told Mr Gimblett.

The patrols will get under way at Easter and will continue for about three months.

Mrs Ibbotson said the patrols were made possible through what she described as "amazing" support from about 25 local businesses, the Napier City Council and community grants.

"And while we have a good number of volunteers on the books we are always losing one or two so anyone who wants to become involved can give me a call."