Palmerston North Community Patrol seeks more volunteers

A Palmerston North Community Patrol volunteer fits tamper-resistant screws to a car number plate.

It took Kevin Cameron about four goes before he summoned the courage to go into Palmerston North Police Station.

He was keen to volunteer for the Palmerston North Community Patrol, but at 70 thought he might be too old.

“I walked past about four times before actually going in and making inquiries.”

When Cameron did join, he discovered one patroller was older than him and there is no upper age limit.

He has been a volunteer for three and a half years and is the chairman of the Palmerston North management committee.

The community organisation is looking for more volunteers, who must commit to a minimum of a four-hour shift once a month.

The patrollers are not police officers but the force’s eyes and ears, Cameron said.

Some volunteers are interested in becoming police officers, Others are concerned about crime.

Palmerston North Community Patrol chairman Kevin Cameron. Photo / Judith Lacy

Cameron had been burgled and several cars in his street had been broken into or tampered with. He was part of Neighbourhood Support and was wondering what else could he do.

One day, he saw a Community Patrol car go past and thought he could join.

“Until I saw a Community Patrol car, I didn’t know they existed.”

Volunteering can enhance a person’s job prospects, and as the patrollers work in pairs, there is also a social side.

“You get a lot of satisfaction from helping the community.”

Patrollers stay in the marked car most of the time, providing a deterrent. “It’s eyes, ears and being seen.”

They have tasks to do each shift, such as patrolling problematic areas and carparks during big events.

One patroller has done more than 20 years of service.

Palmerston North Community Patrol was established in 1999 and covers the city, Ashhurst and surrounding areas.

Safer Plates is run by Community Patrols New Zealand with assistance from police. For a gold coin donation, volunteers will install tamper-resistant screws on number plates to reduce the possibility of them being stolen.

Over the past five years, there has been a 30 per cent increase in number plate thefts in New Zealand - 9042 were stolen nationwide over the past 12 months, Cameron said.

There will be a “Safer Plates” day on Saturday, June 15 from 10am-2pm at the Warehouse carpark. Bring your car, van, trailer, motorbike or caravan.

To apply to be a volunteer, email membership manager Louise Dekker at loudekker07@gmail.com.

Judith Lacy has been editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001, and this is her second role editing a community paper.