Te Awamutu CommSafe needs more volunteers to operate 24/7

Te Awamutu CommSafe's brand new patrol vehicle. Photo/Supplied

We have all read and seen the effects in town as ram raids increase.

Would you feel safer knowing there are community patrols out day and night watching your neighbourhoods, businesses and community?

Te Awamutu Commsafe manages Community Patrol and the monitoring of CCTV across some of Waipā. They have the goal of operating seven days a week.

They are looking for more volunteers to join their 35 community patrollers. There is a set roster for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights during the hours of 10pm-2am.

Volunteers are asked to give four hours of time once a month to help protect the community by being on duty. People can volunteer for the day or evening duty or both.

"The reason we have these rostered hours is so the police know that we are there and can guarantee that we are available to help them if needed," says Mandy Merson.

CommSafe knows first-hand the value and impact that a single volunteer can make in the community.

This is a rewarding volunteer role, where they get to know the police and work with a team of like-minded citizens from within the community while gaining new skills.

Through this work, they learn to identify suspicious behaviour and report incidents to police.

"We are not worried if you are retired, work shift work or a university student - we are inclusive to everybody. It is effectively a 24-hour role so volunteers can pick a time that suits them, as long as we have another person to pair you up with," says Mandy.

To be a community patroller, volunteers need a full and clean driver's licence and pass the police vetting process. There are also online modules for training and health and safety training.

The other nights it is open to the flexibility of the volunteer to ring in and offer their time.

There is also an opportunity to meet some volunteers and ask questions at Kihikihi War Memorial Hall, 19 Lyon St on Sunday, July 17 at 3pm and Monday, July 18 at 6pm.

Or email Mandy Merson at info@commsafe.co.nz or phone 07 902 0097 (then #1).