Grandmother joins anti-tagging vigilantes

Papakura patroller Glenys Closey. Picture / Kellie Blizard

Glenys Closey was fed up with seeing tagging in her neighbourhood. So fed up that she decided to do something about it.

The 63-year-old grandma joined Papakura's Community Crimewatch Patrol. One night a week she does the rounds of the town's streets in a boldly signwritten car.

Glenys is one of the first examples of a crimefighting initiative that will, with police help, eventually spread across Auckland.

"Papakura was very badly tagged and I didn't want my place tagged as well. So I thought I'd get out and stop it," says Glenys.

"There were a lot of young kids on the street. They've all disappeared now. They've moved on or they stay at home because they know we're out there."

Even on nights when there's no crime afoot, people see the patrol driving around. "They know we're out there as a deterrent."

The group acts only as the ears and eyes of the police. They are in constant contact with officers via cellphones and a scanner.

"If we come across anything, we back off a safe distance and police come and handle it," says Glenys.

Next stop, North Shore. A trial will start on September 1 in the Devonport area, with Takapuna, East Coast Bays, Albany, Glenfield and Birkenhead to receive cars after that.

Senior Sergeant Bruce Wood of North Shore Police, who has organised the new initiative, says the Shore community was ready to become involved.

"We've got some neat community people out there who are making a big impact," says Mr Wood.

"They can feel empowered. People can say, 'I made a difference to my community'. You don't have to sit down behind shut doors and say, 'I hope it goes away'."

Every car will have two people, a driver and an observer. At the start, patrols will go out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 8pm. Mr Wood wants a car out every day.

"People who live in those areas will be the only ones who patrol those areas," he says.

Community patrols started about seven years ago, with around 60 patrols now working under the title Community Patrols NZ. They are called a variety of different names including Day Larks and Night Owls.

Mr Wood says it's a growing phenomenon, with similar groups in England, America and Australia.

Patrols are briefed by police about what's happening in the area, who current criminals are, and where hotspots are. They keep an eye out for particular vehicles and people in their locality.

"They are eyes and ears only, that's most important. They don't get confrontational," says Mr Wood.

Patrol cars focus on certain locations where they will maintain surveillance.

"For instance, in Devonport we know we've got an influx of graffiti around the wharf. We'd ask the community patrols to sit down there and see what they find out."

- AUCKLANDER