There have been 29 assaults in the Whangārei CBD so far this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham
There have been 29 assaults in the Whangārei CBD so far this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham
As the number of assaults unfolding in central Whangārei increases, police maintain the city centre is still “by and large” a safe place for people to frequent.
Police revealed 29 assaults had taken place in the Whangārei CBD this year, and there had been a climb from 54 in 2021to 83 in 2022.
But when it came down to reports of assaults in downtown Whangārei - which includes Okara Park and part of Vinetown - the police data website showed the figures grew from 85 in 2021 to 134 in 2022.
Acting Whangārei Area Commander, Senior Sergeant Mohammed Atiq, said the city is “by and large” a safe place to work.
“Police are naturally concerned whenever there is an increase in any type of offending, although we expect that there will be fluctuations from time to time for specific types of offences.”
Atiq said the community had a right to feel safe when in the city centre.
“As with other main centres around the country, police do experience some issues around intoxication-fuelled incidents involving disorder or violence.
“This type of offending is a complex matter and police cannot solve it alone. We need a co-ordinated partnership approach with agencies, communities, iwi and social service providers working together to prevent this offending.
“Police are focused on what we can do to prevent crime and harm so everybody in our communities can feel safe and be safe. We investigate every report of assault, and seek to hold all offenders to account wherever possible.”
Whangārei district councillor Gavin Benney, a former police officer, said crime in the CBD had not really stopped since issues were raised over anti-social behaviour and retail crime in the area last year.
“The ram-raids sort of stopped, but that doesn’t mean the youth crime stopped. There are still some serious assaults in town.”
Whangārei district councillor Gavin Benney, who has written a report on youth crime and anti-social behaviour for the council. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Government agencies need to work together and address the social issues behind the crime, Benney said, which are often intergenerational and involve unemployment and gang membership.
“I’m reasonably tight with the family of an at-risk kid. He says they eased off a little bit, but they still had him stealing cars, [committing] burglaries and all that.”
He was also frustrated with the lack of police patrols in the CBD, which he believed would prevent a lot of crimes.
“You never see them patrolling. We don’t see them walking through the mall anymore,” Benney said.
Northland Regional Council recently hired a second security guard for the Rose St bus terminal, he added, and Whangārei District Council is paying a “huge amount” to keep CitySafe patrols on the streets.
“That is a de facto police force, because they’re doing the job that our police should be doing. We used to have cops walking the beat; there used to be a [police] kiosk in the mall, and the shopkeepers loved it,” Benney said.
Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo and Northland Chamber of Commerce president Tim Robinson both told the Advocatelast week of their concerns over a lack of police patrols.
“I believe more visible police patrols will deter anti-social behaviour in our central business district,” Cocurullo said.
Police advised people to remain aware of their surroundings at all times to help keep themselves safe.
“Anyone who finds themselves in a situation where they don’t feel safe should find a way to leave the area safely and call police on 111,” Atiq said.
