KEY POINTS:
Police could be stationed in schools across New Zealand if a trial scheme in Auckland remains successful. Counties Manukau community services manager Senior Sergeant Mike Fulcher said a 12-month project at 10 high schools is already yielding positive results.
Due to finish in May, the scheme's five officers
tackle offences including gang recruitment, violence and tagging. They start their week by checking which students have been in trouble with police over the weekend.
They then patrol schools, visit parks and malls to stop fights and shoplifting, and investigate complaints of students dealing drugs. The team also attends inter-school sports events, family conferences and disciplinary committees and meets truancy officers.
Manurewa High principal Richard Thornton said the officer at his school had become part of the team.
"There was concern at the start that he was coming in to bust gangs and do undercover stuff but the kids love him," he said.
"He's in uniform and he parks his police car out the front, which is always good. He is seen as part of our wider [student support] team and people are more confident and relaxed because of it."
Thornton said the officer was proactive, visiting classrooms and speaking at assemblies, which showed a "level of authority".
"The kids will talk to him and he will follow up what he is told ... but he also talks about the other side of policing - how they are there to help."
Mangere College principal John Heyes agreed the project was going "very, very well".
Fulcher said the scheme meant police could deal with complaints immediately rather than sending a file to Youth Aid officers via the courts.
"Our Youth Court deals with some of the most serious cases in the country and anything we can do to prevent kids going to court we will do. It's about getting on to it early."
He said the project could be extended to other schools in the area and throughout the country.
"A lot depends on the evaluation and a lot depends on whether our bosses see this as a priority.
"Police in Howick and Pakuranga, which are higher-decile schools, are also interested. Their problems are different because the kids there have money so there can be drugs and motor vehicles."
Fulcher said police in Rotorua and Christchurch were interested in the project. Bay of Plenty area commander Superintendent Gary Smith said there was no plan to launch the project in his region, but he would consider it.
National MP Nick Smith said the Government was open-minded about initiatives in which agencies like police and education worked together.
"Youth offending was a high priority [before the election] and we know that the earlier we can nip this offending in the bud the less likely it is to compound and lead to more serious offending. I would have to speak to the Minister for Police and the Minister for Education but it may be that we're prepared to look at this."
