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Reported crime in Wanganui has dropped by 4 per cent since gang tensions exploded in the city last May leading to the killing of a 2-year-old girl.
Jhia Harmony Te Tua was killed when she was struck by a bullet during a drive-by shooting on May 5. She
had been sleeping on a couch in the front room of her parents' house when the shooting occurred.
Her father was a patched Black Power member and police allege the shooting was sparked by rivalries between the two gangs.
Twelve men were arrested in June and charged with Jhia's murder.
More than eight months after tensions between the Mongrel Mob and Black Power erupted, Wanganui area commander Inspector Duncan MacLeod said life in the normally peaceful river city went on.
"Police were boosted by the arrests. There were more than 60 arrests [of gang members and associates] during the inquiry, which has had a big impact on gangs' local offending. But crime not associated with gangs goes on."
The community had commended police on the arrests and Mr MacLeod told the Herald he felt it went some way to enhancing the confidence and trust in the police.
The arrests were for a string of offences - perverting the course of justice, drugs, firearms, assaults, disorder and driving offences - as well as the 12 men being jointly charged with Jhia's murder.
And despite international media attention stirring images of Wanganui being a troubled city on the brink of a gang war, reported crime in the city dropped by 4 per cent from the shooting until November last year.
"The city has moved on. It's something that has happened and is in the past. There are a lot of moves around the city to address [some of the issues]."
Mr MacLeod was reluctant to talk about a parliamentary bill sponsored by Whanganui MP Chester Borrows that would ban gang insignia from public places in Wanganui.
But he did say the public had spoken about it, giving an overwhelming yes in a council referendum, and if the legislation were passed it would be another tool for the police to use.
Mr MacLeod said reported crime always dropped when there were extra police in a city for a major inquiry.
"It goes against the argument that extra numbers don't make a difference - well, it does."
The inquiry, dubbed Operation 55, was one of the biggest and most intense he had been involved in.
"There was a sense of urgency and determination to resolve this. We knew we were under the spotlight of international media so we had to do everything right."
Staff worked long hours amid talk of possible retribution. Armed police patrolled some city streets in the aftermath of the shooting but there were no major incidents.
Depositions are set to begin in Wellington in late March.
