No camera link to police

LAWRENCE GULLERY
If security cameras on the Marine Parade walkway had been connected to Napier police station, the vandals caught smashing lights might have been caught, say members of a local trust.
Barry Searle, of Napier Safety Trust, believes linking the cameras to the police closed-circuit television system could halt the mindless acts of vandalism to the walkway which are happening night after night, costing thousands of dollars to repair.
Napier Safety Trust was set up in 2003 by Ron Ward and thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Century Foundation, was able to set up seven cameras in the Napier CBD which are linked up to the police station.
The trust has also had funding for maintenance from community charitable trusts and British American Tobacco.
It is now applying for more funding to buy mobile cameras for Maraenui, Taradale and Ahuriri. If the trust is unable to find funding elsewhere, the council has agreed to meet the ongoing maintenance costs, which could be $2800 a month.
The trust is hoping to get a further nine cameras to bring the total to 16, so a bigger area can be covered.
"We asked the council for $70,000 for these cameras and we can put them anywhere as they're mobile. But it's hard to understand why they have to run a separate system along the walkway. We run our cameras on a shoestring budget and there's only five of us on the trust," Mr Searle said.
The trust had raised $166,000 over the past three years but there was a real need to expand the coverage.
"There is more juvenile crime and senseless vandalism than we have ever had. Patrols are not effective, and there have already been more than 50 arrests in the CBD since our cameras were installed," Mr Ward said.
He pointed out that Hastings District Council spent $380,000 in November 2002 on installing 14 cameras in the CBD.
In Hawke's Bay Today last week, Napier City Council chief executive Neil Taylor said $50,000 was spent installing lights so the walkway could be used at night.
And while admitting video cameras were very useful in well-lit areas, he said the quality was not high enough to identify individuals at night.
Mr Taylor confirmed the council had spent in excess of $100,000 in response to vandalism around the city. In the council-funded Safety Watch patrol area of the walkway the lights remain undamaged.
Napier mayor Barbara Arnott said the council would support the Napier Safety Trust's idea to expand the number of cameras.
"Patrols on the streets are still our number one priority.
Cameras are just a tool that can be used in terms of safety on the streets but they need to be monitored and properly situated to be effective," Mrs Arnott said.
* Vandals convicted of wilful damage under the Summary Offences Act 1981 face up to three years imprisonment or a $2000 fine.