2.30pm
Far-right group The National Front are planning to put what it calls security patrols onto the streets of crime-ridden suburbs.
New York Guardian Angel-style patrols would concentrate on low socioeconomic areas, where the group says police are not doing their job.
Front leader Kyle Chapman said a presence on the streets would
prevent crime. The group plans to patrol streets in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.
He said he has had a lot of calls from elderly people who were worried about their safety.
Mr Chapman said a lot of criminals target the elderly, and the group feels it is time something was done to protect them.
Most of the National Front's members have some security experience, and much of the infrastructure is already in place, he said.
Mr Chapman said it was nothing to do with retribution or retaliation, but more about getting a presence out on the street to prevent crime.
The Police Association believes vigilante groups were the result of poor government funding for police.
Association president Greg O'Connor said New Zealand has the lowest police to population ratio in the world.
He said that means police cannot be everywhere all the time and unless central government gets police numbers up, there would be more and more vigilante groups.
Mr O'Connor said the only way to give people comfort and reduce their fear of crime is to have more police officers visible on the streets.
- Newstalk ZB
