Youth gangs - 'make parents responsible'

File photo / NZ Herald

Whangarei's top cop says parents of members of a youth gang that have committed 130 offences should be held accountable for their actions.

Whangarei/Kaipara area commander Inspector Paul Dimery made a call for a law change to hold parents legally accountable for their children's actions when he presented a police report to the Whangarei District Council meeting this week.

A youth gang known as the Serious F****** Criminals or SFC's has committed serious crimes including arson, robbery, theft and assault over the past few months.

On Tuesday, a teenager, identified as a member of the SFCs, was sentenced for robbing a central city service station at knife point.

Jordon Herewini, 17, and two others under 16 years robbed Shell on Water St in Whangarei of $600 cash and $164 worth of confectionery after threatening an attendant with a large filleting-style knife.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Dimery said the gang was made up of youths mainly aged between 12 and 15, who had little or no parental guidance.

They came from the suburbs of Raumanga and Otaika and girls were also involved in the gang.

"These are not children in the sense that most people regard as children. They are serious criminals," Mr Dimery said.

Officers had dealt with at least 26 youths involved in the gang, with about 40 claiming to be members.

"I believe parents should be accountable for the actions of their children. Parents should not be able to absolve themselves of their responsibilities as parents and they should be held accountable for crimes committed by their children.

"The SFCs have been involved in more than 130 offences, all of which have associated innocent victims," Mr Dimery said.

"They [the parents] have chosen to have these children. They have to stand up and look after these children. It's not a police responsibility, it's not a council responsibility or even Child Youth and Family. It's the parents."

Mr Dimery said it was time to lobby for legislation change and the community needed to say the law was not right and there should be enforceable accountability.

"These parents have decided to abdicate their responsibility."

Police were removing the youths if they were unaccompanied in public places and enlisting the help of truancy services in a bid to reduce the crimes the youth gang were committing.

Te Ora Hou Northland manager Lou Davis said youth workers were aware of the gang and their crimes.

"These young people are being backed up by older people involved in adult gangs." he said.

And while there was a need to hold parents accountable, some were doing the best they could given their personal circumstances.

"It needs to be a community response to this."

Mania View School principal Leanne Otene said she had only learnt about the gang this week and none of the school's current students were members.

She said the wider community of Whangarei should be concerned about these children who felt the need to be part of a youth gang. She believed parents should be held accountable for their children's actions.

Phil Heatley, MP for Whangarei, said the Government was working to introduce a Bail Amendment Bill to Parliament this year which would address youth offending.

Among other things, the Bill would allow police to detain defendants under 17 years of age who significantly or repetitively breached bail conditions.