Say cheese: CCTV cameras installed in Te Awamutu

Camera and communication equipment set up to monitor the Alexandra/Arawata/Sloane Street intersection. Photo / Waipā District Council

The installation of CCTV cameras in Te Awamutu's CBD began this week, part of a push by Waipā District Council to make the district a safer place to live and spend time in.

Thirteen cameras are to be installed in Te Awamutu and Cambridge at several key intersections and along main roads in both hubs.

Installation should be completed this month and are expected to be up and running by September.

Workers installing CCTV cameras and communication equipment to transmit pictures to the Te Awamutu Police Station monitoring workstation. Photo / Ange Holt

Council's transportation manager Bryan Hudson said the cameras would also be used to monitor traffic movement to inform future decisions around roading infrastructure.

"The cameras will also act as a deterrent for crime and gives us a means of identifying those committing crime when it does happen."

It is estimated the system will cost just over $80,000 per year to run.

The bulk of this will go towards licensing and communication fees and some towards repairs, camera cleaning and power.

A workstation to monitor all 13 cameras has been set up at the Te Awamutu Police station.

It will be monitored during the day and on certain nights on behalf of police by CommSafe and volunteers.

Once the cameras are up and running, Bryan said anyone wanting to access recordings that could be related to crime should report to police, not council.

Police and council are also on the look-out for volunteers to monitor the new CCTV cameras.

To make the system the best it can be, around 20 volunteers are needed to help monitor these cameras during peak hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

Bryan says volunteers would work on a roster system.

"Council wants to make sure if something happens in Cambridge or Te Awamutu, Police can be alerted immediately to suspicious activity or if someone is in need of assistance."

Police constable Ryan Fleming said the recruitment operation would be managed by CommSafe Te Awamutu, which would oversee the vetting and training process.

"This is a great way for people to show their community values and could be a good stepping stone into the police force.

"You'll gain insight into the way we operate in the force and what keeping the community safe is like."

Those interested in applying should contact Ryan Fleming at ryan.fleming@police.govt.nz.