The eyes and ears of the force

Constable Peter Rameka, along with Ngongotaha Community Patrol's Sharon Fleet (centre) and Mary Rogerson are part of the team helping make the community safer. Photo / Stephen Parker

For years, the Ngongotaha Community Patrol has been working tirelessly with police to reduce crime in the area - now it's calling for volunteers to help continue its mission.

The Patrol, set up in 2004, is a voluntary group of people who give their time to help police prevent and reduce crime in the township and make Ngongotaha a safer community.

Patrol trainer Sharon Fleet said the group was looking for more people to get involved with what they did.

"Essentially, we act as the eyes and ears on behalf of the police," she said.

"We go out on regular patrols in our marked cars, during the day and night, where we keep a lookout to see if there's any situations we need to report to police, or if there's anything that looks like it might lead to something police ought to know about."

The organisation covers Ngongotaha, Hamurana, Kaharoa, Paradise Valley and Mamaku and provides training for those wanting to join the patrol to help make these areas safer.

She said being part of the patrol was a fantastic way to meet people and do something that would help the community.

"It's a way people can give something back to the community and help the community."

The patrol works closely with police, especially Constable Peter Rameka, from the Neighbourhood policing team.

"Unfortunately, the police can't be everywhere all the time, so the community patrol often acts as our eyes and ears when we're tied up at the jobs in other areas. They're an invaluable asset," he said.

Mr Rameka said the group also helped with crime prevention, as they were visible in the community and often deterred people who might have committed crimes had they not seen them patrolling the area.

-Those interested in becoming a volunteer, or learning more about the Ngongotaha Community Patrol, can contact Sharon Fleet on (07) 332 3343 or sharon@spectrum1.co.nz.