Injection of police puts clamps on crime

Rotorua police out on the road yesterday during Operation Presence - a 15-hour operation focusing on motorists, checkpoints, alcohol behaviour, family violence and dishonesty offences. Photo / Stephen Parker

A bigger police presence during a planned one-day operation resulted in skirmishes between youths at Kuirau Park and an inner city cafe being swiftly quelled, as well as several arrests for stolen property.

Uniformed police were stationed throughout Rotorua yesterday during Operation Presence at checkpoints monitoring driving behaviour, visiting bars and licensed restaurants, and family violence victims, and issuing search warrants.

Around 45-50 staff were involved in the operation in two shifts between 8am and 11pm.

Acting Inspector Brendan Keenan said staff focused on four areas of crime prevention - alcohol behaviour, public face violence, family violence victims and dishonesty offending.

Police staff working in four separate groups manned road checkpoints to check on licences, warrants of fitness, registration, drink driving and wearing of seat belts, and visited repeat victims of family violence offering advice on safer living.

A third police group patrolled the inner city - where several fights were broken up at Kuirau Park and at an inner city cafe - while a fourth group issued search warrants on houses for alleged stolen property.

Four people were arrested as a result of the warrants, which uncovered stolen televisions and small electronic items, Mr Keenan said.

He said the operation deliberately targeted the four crime groupings after research showed these were more prevalent at this time of year.