Rotorua safety survey results revealed

Most Rotorua people feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods, and more Rotorua residents feel safe in the central city at night - but fewer feel safe in the CBD during the day.
That's according to the latest Rotorua Perceptions of Safety Survey, which asked 400 people how safe they felt in the city.
The survey, commissioned by the Rotorua District Council and carried out by APR Consultants found 31.9 per cent of people surveyed felt very safe or safe in the central city at night compared with 24.7 per cent in 2010.
However, in 2010 90.9 per cent of people felt very safe or safe in the central city during the day but this year that figure went down to 85.9 per cent.
Rotorua District Council safety officer Amy Duckett said factors making people feel safer in the central city at night included the presence of other people, lighting, the presence of police and security cameras.
Mrs Duckett said the district council and police were working together with local retailers to put initiatives in place to keep the central city safe.
"Reasons for feeling unsafe in the central city during the daytime included the presence of undesirable people, groups of young people, bad reputation and the atmosphere and we're keen to try and reduce those barriers to people feeling safe in the city," she said. "Discussions are currently under way with local businesses and Rotorua police to operate a full-time central city patrol project to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in our central city."
Mrs Duckett said the most common factor for people feeling safe in the central city during the day was the presence of other people. She said 12.1 per cent of those surveyed said they always or usually worried about their vehicle, which was the lowest this figure had been since the survey started in 2005.
More than a half of those surveyed said they felt there were unsafe places to park their vehicles in the central city area, including Kuirau Park, Government Gardens, Lakefront, Sulphur Pt, and Rotorua Central Mall.
"As a result of information we've gathered from the perceptions of safety survey we can identify which areas need further attention and whether we're on the right track with our safety initiatives," Mrs Duckett said. "Rotorua District Council will continue to work with police, community groups and local businesses to develop ongoing crime prevention programmes."
Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne said the results from the survey were consistent with the official police statistics, as well as police staff perceptions of how the community was feeling.
"It is pleasing to see that the vast majority of the people surveyed feel safe in their home or neighbourhood at all times of the day and night," he said. "The results relating to people's perceptions of safety in the central city are not surprising given some of the activity that has taken place in the CBD recently. We feel confident that the joint initiatives being developed by the council, local retailers and Rotorua police will make a significant improvement in this area."
Mr Horne said the most concerning component of the survey was that 14 per cent of respondents said they had witnessed or been a victim of crime but had not reported it.
"That there has been an increase in the non-reporting of crime is a significant concern to us. The sooner we are notified of a crime or suspicious activity, the sooner we can respond and the better chance we have of apprehending those responsible," he said. "I would strongly urge anyone who is a victim or witness of a crime to contact police immediately." If people wish to provide information anonymously, they can do so by contacting the independent Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.
The 2011 Rotorua Perceptions of Safety report is available in full at www.rdc.govt.nz.
By the numbers
At night 88 per cent felt either very safe or safe in their home, the highest since the survey started.
During the day, 91.8 per cent felt either very safe or safe in their local neighbourhood.
During the day, 95 per cent felt either very safe or safe in their own home.
Strangers had physically abused 7 per cent of respondents during the past 12 months, the highest since the survey started.
14 per cent said they had witnessed, or been a victim of a crime that they had not reported to the police, an increase of 2.9 per cent since 2010.