City Safe is able to enforce Hamilton's by-law around anti-social behaviour, including loitering and begging, while providing a visible security presence in public, but do not have the same powers as the Police.
Since starting in July, the suburban response team has attended over 300 reactive call-outs from businesses. In October 2019, they made visits to 3359 business across the city.
Despite the strong call out results, there was a push back from councillors for the unit to become a fully-funded operational activity, with the majority preferring another one year trial due to on-going situations such as the Covid-19 outbreak.
Councillor Dave Macpherson said the whole reason the city safe unit was currently in the suburbs was the lack of community police officers.
Councillor Dave Macpherson said it was too early to propose something for the long term plan.
"I would like to see this as part of an overall plan for city safety, and how this goes with our push to get community policing back into the suburb. We only started doing this because they aren't doing it right now."
"I'm extremely aware that this whole thing about City Safe was a political compromise to get someone's vote back in 2002 or 2003," Mr Macpherson said.
"Yes there is a need, but I do not think we have developed a thinking properly in this area."
Mayor Paula Southgate said people have felt fearful of loiterers outside their shops in suburbs such as Dinsdale, and the city safe unit has helped prevent that.
"I want to extend this but I also want this to have a robust conversation in the next long term plan," Ms Southgate said.
Councillor Rob Pascoe said community safety was a Government responsibility and not a ratepayer cost.
"I do not believe this work is the responsibility of council," Mr Pascoe said.
"I think the police presence in the suburb in recent weeks for the Covid-19 lockdown has been very evident, and pressure should continue on Government to provide businesses and residents with this service."
Councillor Ewan Wilson said he did not see the suburban response team as a top economic decision currently.
"The economy and how we spend our money, things are not looking too good so we are going to have to make some important decisions when the time comes," Mr Wilson said.
"We are philosophically debating if we can pay our worthy staff a liveable wage, we are debating on possibly spending nearly $300 million on projects that we have sent to Wellington as part of an economic stimulus."
"This spending will need to lead to long-term jobs and critical infrastructure and not on city Police force, which should be the domain of the Police.
The council voted 9-4 to continue with the trial.
For the trial was mayor Southgate, councillors Bunting, Gallagher, Macpherson, O'Leary, Naidoo-Rauf, Pascoe, Forsyth and Mangai Maori Norman Hill.
Against was deputy mayor Taylor, and councillors Thomson, van Oosten and Wilson.
Councillor Ryan Hamilton was absent from the vote.
