Disturbing? Maori crime statistics bolster argument for warden scheme

Maori in Wairarapa are just 16 per cent of the region's population and yet of the 685 convicted offences over the first four months of this year, just under half of them were committed by Maori offenders.
And one in five offences was committed by Maori under the age of 17, said Constable Rob Rutene, the iwi liaison police officer, during a presentation to the Masterton District Council pushing the need for the re-introduction of Maori wardens.
In the January 1-May 5 period, there were 65 family violence incidents involving Maori compared with 93 involving non-Maori.
"When you take into account the population percentage, it is very disturbing."
Mr Rutene said the police could not do their job by themselves and needed the community support of Maori wardens.
"It's all about Maori working with Maori. Wairarapa has a strong whakapapa of working with its own and hopefully the Maori warden system will enhance this."
Mr Rutene has a passion to revive the Maori wardens and is buoyed by the interest he's receiving from younger Maori.
Asked why the Maori warden system had disappeared, Mr Rutene said "they simply died off, and the recent generation did not seem to have the same commitment as the elders".
But the revival of the essence of being Maori is helping his cause and he believes wardens will be a vital link in reducing Maori offending.
"We are not asking them to be police, but to be the eyes and ears of the community. We will train and support them, providing uniforms, travel allowance and sometimes a vehicle."
Mr Rutene explained to councillors that Maori wardens would have the special powers under the Community Development Act, including being able to demand publicans evict drunk people and take vehicle keys away.
He was in Hastings yesterday talking to Maori wardens there and had also visited the Lower Hutt Maori wardens. The only other places in the country that they operate are in Whangarei and south Auckland.
"We are really at the early stages of revitalising the Wairarapa Maori wardens, but its gathering momentum and by the end of August we should have training started," Mr Rutene said.