Crimefighting group looks to set up in West Auckland

Andy Cawston believes Waitakere City is going to hell in a handcart. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

A citizens' crime-fighting group born on the streets of New York wants to establish a chapter in Auckland's Waitakere City.

Senior US-based members of the Guardian Angels group will be in New Zealand next week to help local organiser Andy Cawston recruit for a West Auckland chapter.

The Guardian Angels were established in the New York Bronx in 1979 as a response to crime on the streets and subways.

The group, which describes itself as a "world-acclaimed community volunteer patrolling organisation", has chapters in several countries, including Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Mr Cawston - a software salesman - said he decided to establish the group in West Auckland as Henderson was becoming "a bit of a scary place".

Overseas chapters have been accused of taking the law into their own hands, but Mr Cawston said Guardian Angels were "not police wannabes. We just walk around like a roving Neighbourhood Watch".

Volunteers had no formal powers of arrest, and more often than not acted as a deterrent, he said. However, Angels would "intervene and detain" offenders until police arrived.

"We are not out there to enforce the law ... or punish, either."

The Crimes Act allows for a private citizen to arrest another, and the Guardian Angels would "seek guidelines from police as to how to do that", he said.

The patrols would not be armed, and volunteers would be frisked before going on patrol, to ensure they were not concealing weapons.

Volunteers would patrol the streets in groups of six "for a few hours", before being replaced.

Mr Cawston was not sure how many recruits would be needed, but said the group would accept "as many as we can get".

All volunteers would be subject to a police check, and be trained in first aid, resuscitation and self-defence.

To begin, they would patrol just a few nights a week and then expand.

But North Shore/Waitakere Detective Inspector Kevin Baker was lukewarm about the proposal

"If they solely have a deterrent effect ... people reporting offending and disorder to police, I don't have a problem at all."

However, there was a real potential for violence if they tried to arrest anyone, he said. "I don't support anyone taking those steps."

Guardian Angels would have the right to carry out a citizen's arrest of suspected offenders, but the Crimes Act was "very limited in the areas in which the law can be applied", he said.

Duty minister Phil Goff - who has been on patrol with the Angels in New York City - approved of a New Zealand chapter in principle, but was dubious about the group conducting citizen's arrests.

"[The Crimes Act is] not a thing the police would encourage people to take advantage of where there was a question of public safety."

Opposition law and order spokesman Simon Power was also cautious.

"Communities taking responsibility for some aspects of law and order should be welcomed, but I would be disappointed if the [Guardian Angels] group had formed because of falling confidence in police," he said.

But Police Association vice-president Richard Middleton approved wholeheartedly of the scheme.

"Anything that keeps our streets safer is all right by the Police Association," Mr Middleton said.

Mr Cawston said the Angels would depend on community support and would give up their activities if the public disapproved.

"We will live or die by the goodwill of our community."