OPINION: Do I feel safe?

An unmarked police car once followed me home. Photo / NZME

OPINION

I was asked to do a survey and one of the questions was, do I feel safe? I have to say no, I don’t.

The shooting in Palmerston North earlier this month got me thinking. For those who aren’t aware, this happened in Croydon Ave. It’s in Highbury, which to my mind, is considered one of the worst (if not top of the list) suburbs in Palmy.

I spent the first five years of my life in that street. In a two-storey unit next door to where the shooting happened. It was bad enough then, but it’s far worse now. It seems that the gangs are fairly prevalent in that area.

I was only little, but back in those days, you'd think nothing of letting your toddler out to play, even in Highbury.

A little over 20 years ago, there was a homicide where a 16-year-old was stabbed to death. His body was found at an address just around the corner from that unit. Rumours, of course, would spread, with many saying he was a gang prospect. I don’t know the truth of that, and I’m not about to look it up.

I do remember that at the time I was working in a job where two nights out of four I would be leaving work at 2.30 in the morning. I had to drive through Highbury on my way home, or else take what was then a much longer route. So, there I was, just driving, when I’m suddenly followed by an unmarked car. Since this was only a few weeks following the homicide, you can bet I was more than a little nervous.

I get to about 100 metres from my driveway and lights flash. It’s a police car. So, of course, being the good citizen I was, I stop. The officer approaches my car and asks what I’m doing out that time of night. I tell them, but I was so close to telling them off for nearly giving me a heart attack (maybe only figuratively). I’ve never forgotten that.

Knowing what has been going on in what was once (at least in my mind) a safe place for a child of my tender years, and granted, this was the 70s when things like that didn’t happen that often, it makes me worried for the future. I dread anything similar happening here in my community. I know things happen, but not in my backyard, thanks. I really don’t want the stress.

It’s a shame that the various lawmakers don’t seem to want to get tough on those committing such acts. It is bad enough with the reports of ram raids in Auckland, and stories of gangs there terrorising the residents, but isn’t enough enough? When do we stop and say, hey, we want our streets back? We want to be able to feel safe in our homes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s happening in our neighbourhood or someone else’s.

You couldn’t pay me to go and live in an area like Highbury again. Having said that, maybe it’s time the Government stepped in and did something to stop the escalating problems. Like perhaps tearing down those old properties and making it an area where residents can feel safe again. I know there’s no turning back the clock to more innocent times, but should they really have to put up with shootings?