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Private security guards in Manukau would simply be the equivalent to a policeman with a torch, says a local councillor.
Manukau residents will be asked if they agree to a proposal being put to the council in which up to $3 million of ratepayers' money would be spent on private security.
If locals concur, three teams of five guards will be paid $23 an hour to monitor different parts of the city.
But Otara councillor Efu Koka said the service would not be particularly helpful because the guards would not be able to do what police could.
"Whether or not it goes through, they don't have the right to arrest. They're a policeman with a torch. We need to recognise the current wardens, Maori and Pacific. They have a buy-in and there are a lot of other security services who do it voluntarily."
Manurewa councillor Daniel Newman also said the private security guards would hold only as much power as the average person.
"Those security guards will not have the power to arrest, hold or search a property. They would simply be eyes and ears - they would simply be people who would report to police.
"They have as much power as you and I. When you look at the type of crime that is happening in Manukau, that requires a comprehensive response.
"That's why we need more sworn-in police officers. We invest that power in the police - we don't just give that power to anyone."
Wellington's Walkwise ambassadorial programme, introduced by Wellington City Council, has up to 15 full-time equivalent officers patrolling the business district 24 hours a day.
Dressed in bright yellow clothing, their presence helps people feel more secure, says the council's manager city safety Laurie Gabites.
He said the programme, which has been running for six years, could be useful in Manukau City. But there was a vast difference between the security needed in Wellington City and in South Auckland.
"Walkwise is definitely not private security. They're ambassadorial officers who help deter potential criminals. Wellington City is much smaller compared to Manukau," Mr Gabites said.
"There, they've got to be able to respond to the crime. Private security and ambassadorial officers can't do that, they can't arrest people."
