Police have given cautious approval to the concept of a civilian group patrolling Christchurch's streets at night.
Nick Donald, the cousin of murdered teenager Marie Davis, has formed the OT (Otautahi) Angels to police the city he described as "out of control".
The group would walk the streets
of the central city on Friday and Saturday nights, working as "an extra pair of eyes for police" and "stepping in" when situations developed, he said.
Canterbury police district commander Dave Cliff said the rationale was "positive", but he would like the group to talk to police before it was launched.
"It can only take one or two people to spoil it, so vetting and being scrupulous is vital," he told The Press.
Mr Donald said he was aware of the potential for vigilante behaviour, and candidates were being screened and drawn from the ranks of people who had worked in security roles in the past.
"We're not going to do the police's job for them. We are going to help them out by being an extra pair of eyes," he said.
"We're not after thugs. We're after people who can talk to people and be good communicators."
Guidelines and training programmes were being formulated.
Mr Donald, a former security worker and volunteer at the police kiosk in Cathedral Square, said two or three groups of former security staff would be on duty from 10pm to 4am at weekends.
The uniformed teams would use video cameras to film violent behaviour and would be linked by walkie-talkies.
"The city's got out of hand. It's out of control," he said. "The public need to do more instead of just standing back and watching."
Fifteen people had volunteered, and Mr Donald planned to meet Mayor Bob Parker on May 19 to gain city council support for the scheme.
- NZPA
