- By Times’ Junior Journalist Kaesar Wu
For over two decades, the Howick and Pakuranga Community Patrol has been working behind the scenes to help make east Auckland a safer community.
It’s made up of local volunteers who give up their time to assist the police by observing, reporting, and helping the public.
They don’t arrest or tackle people, but they still make a difference.
Garry Shearer, the current chairman, has been involved for more than 23 years. He explains why he joined and what the group is all about.
“We’re not here to chase criminals or act like the police,” he says. “We’re here to help keep people safe and support the work the police do.”
The patrol operates out of the Howick Police station. Volunteers start by checking in, preparing their area of interest, and checking in with officers about any problems that are currently active.
“We go over the day’s schedule with the police,” Garry explains.
“They might tell us something to keep an eye out for, or areas that need more patrols.”
Bill Connor, the deputy chair, joined around two years ago after retiring. For him, it was about giving back.
“I’d retired three years earlier and felt it was time to do something useful,” he says. “This was a way to give something back to the community.”
During patrols, the volunteers wear hi-vis vests and drive vehicles that are high profile. The idea is to be seen.
“We wear the equipment and drive the vehicles that are designed to be noticed,” Garry says. “The visibility deters crime. People see us and think twice.”
The patrol work is purely non-confrontational, with patrollers trained to avoid getting involved.
“We don’t detain anyone or approach people who are behaving suspiciously. We report everyone to police,” Bill explains.
“It’s safer doing it that way, and it keeps us focused on what we’re there to do.”
Although they’re civilian volunteers, they’re highly respected and make a worthwhile contribution. Garry recalls a particular event.
“One time, when we were on patrol, we saw a group of teenagers gathered around a car which was very suspicious,” he says.
“We informed the police about it and next morning, the police later informed us it had been a drug deal gone wrong! That’s how we help out, by being in the right place at the right time.”
The patrol also supports other safety programs. Possibly the most well-known is the ‘Safer Plates’ initiative, where volunteers lend a hand to replace worn-out screws on number plates with harder-to-replace ones, and thereby curb car theft, all for the price of a $5 donation.
“We help with things like that too,” Bill says. “Little things that make a big difference.”
New recruits are trained to a necessary standard prior to going on patrol. They begin by listening and learning along with more experienced members.
The training is something Garry explains is done for the success and safety of all.
“We want our patrollers to feel confident and know what they have to do,” he says. “It’s not hard, but it has to be done right.”
Even with public backing, there are challenges.
“The evening shifts are the toughest,” Bill says. “Many of us are retired and prefer to patrol in the morning, and only a small number of volunteers currently have jobs and patrol in the evening. It isn’t always easy to cover every slot.”
Community patrols are funded by the community and the local council, as their machinery is very costly.
“Our lights alone cost $3,000,” Garry says. “It’s not cheap running this, but we continue because people realise the worth of what we do.”
Throughout the whole experience, the volunteers are committed.
“We’ve got good support,” Bill said. “People enjoy what we do, and that keeps us going.”
Garry agrees. “It’s rewarding work,” he says.
“You’re out there helping people, keeping an eye on things, and doing something that really matters.”
And when asked what advice they’d give to others thinking of joining, they enforce the importance of learning English due to the fact it’s the most common language in New Zealand.
Despite that, the whole organisation is multi-cultural, full of people of different ethnicities.
Applicants need to be over 18 and be police vetted (a background check of your records).
- Kaesar Wu is in year 8 at Bucklands Beach Intermediate School
