One size doesn’t fit all

In Māngere and Papatoetoe, Inspector Bruce Bird says a different community policing model operates.

“You must work with the community to design the model, so they can legitimise the actions you’re taking,” he says.

“If the community doesn’t like the model, you won’t get anything, and that’s one lesson we’ve learned.”

In Māngere and Papatoetoe, a crime and safety forum, comprised of community members with good outreach into the community, is regularly provided with an intel report on local issues.

The forum then debates the issues - often at length - and feeds back to Police where they believe the policing priorities and efforts should lie.

Bruce says both models work very well on the outcomes “but how they get there is slightly different.”