The 111 Files: Safety first for communities

Inspector Bruce Horne

Whenever Rotorua residents have been surveyed over the past decade in an effort to determine community priorities, the response has been consistent and clear - a "safe and caring community". I am not surprised.

When developing our current operating strategy in 2011, police sought feedback from New Zealand communities and received a similar message.

We responded by making our primary objective for every New Zealander to "be safe and feel safe".

Similarly, social scientists report that one of the building blocks for a healthy community is "feeling safe".

So how do we achieve that outcome?

When you unpack the commentary that sits around people's desire to have a "safe and caring" community, it becomes apparent there are two personal qualities that we all need to focus on developing. Strength and warmth.

Machiavelli famously pondered whether it was better for leaders to be feared or loved.

Some people mistakenly believe that strength and warmth cannot co-exist; it's one or the other. Not true.

On the contrary, the personal qualities we most admire require a high level of personal strength. Standing up for the things you believe in, being honest and having integrity all require courage.

The leaders respected the most are those who have courage and strength, but also compassion, empathy and genuine concern for the needs of others.

Every person has a desire to be part of a community, to feel a sense of belonging to a wider group. It's in our DNA, it's the way we are wired; which is one of the reasons so many people like to spend time in cafes and food halls - they find a sense of community there.

Similarly, Maori talk about the importance of turangawaewae - "a place to stand".

One of the best ways to connect with others is to spend some time walking in their shoes, or to put it another way - empathy. When we show genuine interest in the concerns of others, when we demonstrate empathy, we communicate warmth and we connect. When we connect, we build trust and a sense of community.

I believe that Rotorua can be the "safe and caring community" people desire. There is plenty of evidence of people who are strongly committed to achieving that outcome; people who have discovered that an important ingredient to living a meaningful life is to have a sense of purpose and the knowledge they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.

To make our community safer, and for people to be more connected, all of us have to be intentional about this. The starting point is making an individual commitment to developing those two personal qualities that are critical to community building - strength and warmth.

- Inspector Bruce Horne is the Rotorua police area commander.