Waitakere combines forces

Service Manager Waitakere West Karl Bethell is rapt about the enhanced relationship with Waitemata Police. “It just makes things so much easier now we have more direct communication lines and attend each others’ meetings.”

Public safety has also benefited because situations get dealt with a lot quicker. An example of a project that shows the benefits of the improved relationship is the tackling of railway track tagging.

Service Manager Karl Bethell says, “One of the improvements is that the Police can now act immediately when we have an issue with an offender who is either classified as high risk or is on the Offender Warning Register (OWR). There is a zero tolerance towards these offenders as they present a high risk to the public.”

In April 2008 the cleaning of the rail corridor started. Karl says, “We have cleaned the rail corridor from Henderson to New Lynn and we’re still going strong. Quite often the court will order a tagger to be part of this group. Seeing how hard it is to get rid of their mess might just make a difference. In this project as in many projects we not only have a great relationship with the Police but also with the Waitakere Council.”
 
Gill Evans, Graffiti Vandalism Prevention Project Leader at the Waitakere City Council, is also pleased with the partnership. “The community work parties have done about 5km of cleaning by now. They are doing incredibly well. Every week I get a report on what they have done and I am forever sending ‘Thank-You’-letters in return.”

The work parties also check the part they’ve already cleared. Karl says, “When we see tagging there, we take a picture and send it through to the Tagging Officer of Henderson Police. They have a major tagging database so often can get onto the tagger directly.”

The clearing of the tagging takes place every Sunday as this is the quietest day for community work parties to be near the tracks. “Obviously there are safety issues,” says Karl. “Before supervisors can do this kind of work, they get trained in how to work safely near trains.”

“It’s all about gaining each other’s trust,” says Karl. And Karl has done just that according to the certificate of appreciation that Acting Area Commander Inspector Scott Webb presented him in April. It reads, “His efforts of networking and interaction between the two agencies have ensured a safer environment for all in the local Waitakere community. This is greatly appreciated by staff and management of the Waitakere Police.”