The 111 Files: Preventing youth crime in our city

Sergeant Jim Harvey.

Our police youth team has adopted the following motto for our beat patrols within the Rotorua CBD - "successfully apprehending those that choose to commit crimes in our beautiful city".

This is a quote from Sergeant Jason Owen, officer in charge of our busy and dedicated police dog section.

However, we know that prevention is far better than the cure.

In some cases, there is no cure but, rather containment, until the right medication - and or time - becomes the cure in itself. Our community and the thousands of visitors to our world-famous city deserve the right to feel safe and be safe in our CBD and shopping centres.

So we, as police, have become more active within the CBD and together with the City Guardians and Maori Wardens, are doing all we can to make this happen by dealing with those who misbehave.

Thanks to the foresight of our police management team along with close collaboration with the Rotorua District Council, we are emerging on the right side of the ledger.

Our youth team receives many positive comments from the visitors and local businesses in relation to our greater visibility in the CBD and we aim to continue this positive spin-off for our city.

So, how can you help?

Render all assistance possible to our police, City Guardians and Maori Wardens by:

Reporting all suspicious and offensive behaviour and offending regardless of how small, to the police or City Guardians.

Lock your car when leaving it parked, even for a minute or so.

Don't leave valuables in your vehicles.

Where possible photograph any incident and or offender, or at least make notes on offender descriptions, registration numbers, gang colours and any other information you deem important.

As a retailer always question the ages of children and school attendance and report those you believe may be truant.

Remember: Call 111, stay safe and calm and pass a commentary to the operator on what is occurring.

Be patient and wait for the police. My team will help you.

Sergeant Jim Harvey is part of the Rotorua police youth services team