Security patrols in Rotorua's central city are winding down because of a drop in crime. Photo / File
Security patrols in Rotorua's central city are winding down because of a drop in crime. Photo / File
Security patrols in Rotorua's central city have been cut as a result of a big drop in CBD crime.
Some local businesses disagreed with the move and said they were still dealing with daily "deviants" causing trouble and they questioned the timing heading into the busy summer period. Others saidit was a sensible move that would save ratepayers' money.
In November last year, security patrols in the central city cost ratepayers $28,000.
The security contracts "wound down" from this week and as from next week the three Safety City Guardians will be repurposed to be a "one-stop-shop ambassadorial role" rather than just focused on security.
The Rotorua Daily Post asked the Rotorua Lakes Council to provide figures on how much it spent on the guardians and contracted security firms in the year to March 2020.
In a written response it said the cost of its contractors (VR Security and Watchdog Security for that year was $409,000. The cost of the inner city security patrols increased from December 2019 to April 2020 due to extended CCTV monitoring hours and extended night patrols which were required to meet community need at the time.
The cost of the guardians' contribution to the patrols was approximately $50,500 for the same period. Taking part in the patrols was not their full-time role and this was based on an estimate of what percentage of their time was allocated to the patrols.
Council operations general manager Jocelyn Mikaere said the guardians would work as a roving link between the council, central city businesses and visitors to help understand community needs and interact with the council.
She said they would provide a presence in the CBD to help with collecting and distributing information, safety, parking, inner-city news, city maintenance needs and surveys.
Mikaere said there had been a 49 per cent drop in CBD incidents compared with the three months prior.
The crime reduction had been attributed to homeless people being moved into emergency housing motels on Fenton St during alert level 4.
Fenton St is now attracting more police attention than the central city as a result of homeless living in motels. Photo / File
Mikaere said the guardians would still provide information to police to help with safety when needed and they would get security patrols back if needed.
Watchdog Security chief executive Brett Wilson said it was fair enough to cut his services because the central city had been "significantly quiet".
"We used to have six staff on the road but the last couple of months we only had one or two. It got to the point where there was nothing for them too."
Wilson said no one had lost their job as a result because his staff were moved to other areas.
He said in his view crime issues had moved to Fenton St and around Rotorua Central, and it was "definitely" related to emergency housing motels.
Long-term Rotorua business owners Mike Steiner from Steiners Interiors by Reputation on Pukuatua St and Reg Hennessy from Hennessy's Irish Pub on Tutanekai St were not convinced it was a good idea to scale back security.
Steiner said he was still seeing "uncomfortable, embarrassing and intimidating behaviour" and he described it as "sad indictment on society".
Businessman Mike Steiner. Photo / File
He said on Wednesday morning this week there was an incident involving a man who was "raving on" near his store for more than hour before security patrols moved him on.
Steiner said in his opinion, security shouldn't be reduced.
"We still desperately need it ... I feel very sad where Rotorua is at the moment."
Steiner said he never felt unsafe in the central city but he often felt uncomfortable and he was embarrassed for people who saw that behaviour in Rotorua.
"If it's allowed to go unchecked, where the hell are we going as a society?"
Hennessy said Fenton St motels now had many of the "deviants" that were in the central city but he feared some of them had started to come back in the past few weeks as the weather improved.
Hennessey's Irish Bar owner Reg Hennessey. Photo / File
"We are seeing screaming matches again on the street, people with gang colours, known guys who peddle drugs hanging around, foul language and people just generally being annoying."
He said the timing to reduce security was "questionable" with summer so close but he said the savings for ratepayers was good news.
"I hope at least they are showing huge savings for ratepayers."
Community Constable Tony O'Keeffe of the Rotorua police said the partnership approach with police, council and security firms had deterred situations before they escalated many times.
"While we will continue to work closely with council guardians and staff, our local police team has recently increased and we are now well equipped to respond to inner-city issues as they arise
"Incidents in the inner city have continued to decrease which we're pleased to see. We continue to take a zero-tolerance approach towards anti-social behaviour and members of the public are reminded to continue to contact police about concerns and report incidents as they happen, so we can respond appropriately."
