Community Policing Being safe and feeling safe starts with you. Police and our partners like Neighbourhood Support and Community Patrols work hand in hand to promote community safety. Keeping the people in our community safe and reducing harm continues to be our number one priority. Police continue to review and investigate all reports of crime. Information provided by community members can often be the missing piece of an investigation and can lead to a successful prosecution. However, not every matter results in court. Information received can assist Police in other ways, like increased prevention patrols in a particular area being targeted by criminals. Prevention continues to be a primary focus for us and it’s critical that people are reporting offences. I encourage you to report all suspicious behaviour, people and vehicles to help prevent a crime from occurring. If something doesn’t look right, then it probably isn’t. Call 111 if a crime is happening now or use 105 online if it’s already happened. Don’t let suspicious behaviour make victims of your neighbours. Police would like to remind people to ensure their vehicle is secure through the autumn and winter seasons. Simple things like ensuring all valuable items are out of sight in your vehicle if you cannot remove them, and parking in an area which is well lit can help prevent you from becoming a victim of crime. Page 36
Police leaflets indicating all valuables have been removed from your vehicle are also a good idea. I would also like to plead motorists to pay particular attention to their driving and not to become complacent. We know there are four main behaviours which contribute to death and injury on our roads: people driving too fast for the conditions, driving while impaired (by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue), driving while distracted – including using a cell phone – and not being properly restrained. Strong and safe communities only happen when individuals take an active interest in their immediate environment. I encourage you to get to know your neighbours and to keep an eye on the more vulnerable members of our communities. Neighbours are really important when it comes to home security and looking out for each other’s homes and vehicles is a great crime prevention technique. Joining Neighbourhood Support or a Community Patrol can give confidence to communities that people look out for each other, promoting wellbeing and helping us all feel safe. Find out more at: www.neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz and www.cpnz.org.nz. Police also want people to be alert to scams and remember some fundamental tips to help prevent being scammed. If you are concerned about an email you have received, please ask for help and remember, reputable businesses will always supply contact information which can be verified.
