Crime in downtown Auckland: Political parties share their views after prominent businessman calls for greater police presence

Scott Pritchard says crime in the central city has risen 80 per cent over the past four years.

A prominent businessman is calling on the political parties to say what their approach is to spiralling crime in downtown Auckland.

Scott Pritchard, chief executive of Precinct Properties and the new chair of Auckland Council’s city centre advisory panel, has welcomed four accessible safety hubs being set up in the CBD by the Government and the council.

He said Labour has committed $100,000 towards the hubs in light of an 80 per cent increase in crime over the past four years but wants to hear from National and other parties what their approach is to deal with increasing crime in the city centre.

The safety hubs have been welcomed by the panel, but the membership of elected representatives, residents, education, business and the social sectors do not see them as a replacement for police and want whoever is in Government after the election to provide a greater police presence.

Precinct Properties chief executive and city centre advisory panel chairman Scott Pritchard wants a greater police presence in downtown Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig

Pritchard, who heads the largest commercial property owner in the central city that includes the Commercial Bay centre at the bottom of Queen St, said nothing offers the feeling of safety to residents and visitors more than having police who are visible.

He said the closure of the downtown police station - under the last National Government in 2013 - merited a new station or some form of place that people know is there and would be beneficial.

“We have 45,000 people living in the city centre and they would love for the police to have a presence in the city,” he said.

At last October’s local body elections, some candidates, including Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck, pushed for a downtown police station to reopen to combat rising crime and anti-social behaviour.

Electric scooters abandoned on lower Queen St following a shooting incident at 11.30pm on August 3 that left one person dead. Photo / Hayden Woodward

In March last year, city centre residents pleaded unsuccessfully for a new station following a shooting in Fort St that left three people seriously injured.

Not far from this scene on Queen St, two people were shot last month, one critically, with the shooter then fleeing the scene on a scooter.

Relieving Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Sunny Patel acknowledged the concerns of the community who live, work, or come into the city to visit, following several incidents over the past few months.

“Our focus remains on ensuring people are safe and feel safe who are coming into our city,” he said.

Patel said the police provide high visibility with a focus on foot patrols of about 800 a month in the central city and are mobile to quickly respond where required.

Furthermore, he said, the police have provided extra resources over weekends when demand is high due to nightlife.

Frontline police continue to be present in the CBD, says Superintendent Sunny Patel . Photo / Mike Scott

“Our beat and frontline staff continue to be present in our community while deploying from our patrol base on Federal St and the Auckland City Police Hub.”

“We have also held regular ‘Coffee with a Cop’ events with Heart of the City, which is a chance for the community to speak to us and raise their concerns. These events will continue,” Patel said.

Pritchard said business is improving in the central city, but that doesn’t mean what is being done in the safety space is enough.

“You only have to Google what are the safest cities in the world and every time it will tell you that the presence of police is the biggest driver for safety in the cities, and that encourages visitors and residents and tourists who want come into the city centre and economically that is incredibly fruitful, but also socially as well.

“This is not just an Auckland city issue. Major cities in New Zealand are really struggling post-Covid, and the presence of police is critical.”

He was upbeat about the central city showing signs of recovery, including major events, the number of people choosing to live in the CBD and a flourishing nighttime economy, but said retail still has some challenges and tourism is down 30 per cent to 40 per cent on pre-Covid levels.

Auckland's downtown police station closed in 2013. Photo / Richard Robinson

Where do the parties stand on a greater police presence in the CBD?

Labour

Police Minister Ginny Andersen has said police will always be the first responders to crime - and would be freed up by wardens and community patrollers at the Safety Hubs dealing with lower-level anti-social behaviour.

Labour has committed to adding an extra 300 community officers if re-elected, saying it will be up to the police where they are deployed.

National

Police spokesman Mark Mitchell says having a permanent police presence in the Auckland CBD is now necessary to be able to get on top of the crime and disorder.

“This would be an operational decision by police but one thing the National Party wants to see more of is police officers on the beat and in their communities.”

Green Party

Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick said she was proud to help deliver immediate interventions such as the Fort St beat base and the four community hubs to be rolled out by the end of October.

She said Police have increased their foot patrols in the city centre by 243 per cent this year after disruptions and secondments throughout Covid.

“I’ve discussed many times with our Police and Government ministers the barriers to restoring the old city centre station and been met with official advice that the tens of millions required could come at the expense of deploying front-line services, while the police also tell me that they are incredibly mobile from their current location.”

To address the drivers of crime, she said, requires investment in the fence at the top of the cliff, and delineating the likes of gun crime from ram raids, from anti-social behaviour, from homelessness.

Act

Leader David Seymour said after a rapid deterioration in the safety of communities in the past few years, Auckland needs law and order restored.

“We don’t believe it is up to politicians to direct police so specifically, but as a police operational decision, it would be welcome to see a greater police presence within the city centre.

“Act’s policy is to increase police numbers in line with population increases. This means there will always be a sustainable number of police and the issue won’t become subject to a political auction.”

NZ First

NZ First said the Government’s concerns for lawlessness in Auckland have been pathetic and abysmal, saying the “safety hubs” will provide no sense of safety.

The party said a far greater police presence on the streets is required, and losing the police station presence in the CBD should never have happened and needs to be restored as soon as possible.