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Who's doing what in Rotorua - Community safety partnerships

A range of organisations including Rotorua Police, Rotorua District Council, Neighbourhood Support, Maori Wardens, Rotorua schools and the Ministry of Social Development are taking a proactive approach to address community safety concerns. Priorities for Council under its Crime Prevention Plan include:

1. To foster community safety in the CBD and surrounding reserves.
2. To support initiatives which reduce tourism-related crime.
3. To support initiatives that reduce youth offending.
4. To support initiatives addressing alcohol and drug issues.
5. To support and build capacity for neighbourhood and community safety initiatives.

Community safety projects in the Rotorua District include:

• Project Papa Waka (car crime reduction).
• Truancy reduction initiatives (eg, 'Truant Free' shopping areas).
• Project CARV (Curbing Alcohol Related Violence).
• Crime prevention cameras and CBD security lighting.
• Local Services Mapping (Youth Offending).
• Community safety orders.
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

Council also undertakes an annual survey of residents' perceptions of safety. According to results of the 2007 survey, there has been a notable improvement in the number of residents feeling "very safe" or "safe" in Rotorua's CBD. Reasons given include the presence of other people, the presence of Police, lighting and security cameras. People are also feeling less worried about the safety of their vehicles in the CBD due greater awareness of the existence of central city community policing, closed circuit TV cameras and the CBD liquor ban. In parallel with these improvements in perceptions, Police statistics show that actual recorded crime has been trending down in Rotorua. Although the rate of recorded offending remains above the national average, current crime rates are the lowest in six years for Rotorua.

More information:
www.rdc.govt.nz/Our+Services/Community+Policy/Community+Safety/default.htm