Community gathers strength from the heart

A Community engagement project in Petone, Wellington, is building bridges and lifting spirits in an area long plagued by gang problems and social decay.

Lower Hutt Area Commander, Inspector Richard Chambers, says the scope of the project is to help the community build internal and external networks, to enhance the feeling of safety.

“The purpose is to reduce feelings of isolation among and between residents and local government agencies. We also want them to report crime to encourage safer communities,” says Richard.

“It sits well with our strategic objectives of reassuring the community and maintaining law and order.

“The glue keeping this project together is the trust that has developed between Police, residents and community partners.”

The community in this instance are the residents of Petone’s Jackson Street flats - the scene of an early April vicious rape. It is also home to many Mongrel Mob members. Residents of other nearby streets, the Jackson Street committee and government agencies are also part of the initiative.

Following the rape, The Jackson Street Trust met with Police to discuss residents’ safety concerns. Soon after, the community engagement model was agreed as the best way forward with Police, the Trust and Housing New Zealand the initial project members.

In early May a wider community meeting was held involving residents, project members and Hutt Union Health.

A range of concerns were raised and prioritised, including vandalism, theft, rubbish, faulty wiring and poor plumbing at the flats through to intimidation from gang members, consumption of alcohol and drugs in playground areas and lack of Police presence.

Soon after, the project became officially known as Hanga Oranga a iwi Ngoi Ngakau or ‘creating life for people, the strength from the heart’, and momentum began to build.

Ongoing liaison saw simple improvements put in place, including working with the Department of Corrections to better re-integrate offenders back into the local community; more support structures for mental health patients; and increased foot patrols by Police. There is also a plan to re-route the local bus to take in the Jackson Street flats.

In late June, Mongrel Mob members attended the second community group meeting held at the Jackson Street flats.

Richard says the gang members are now playing their part in making things better, for example, by helping Housing New Zealand remove unsightly car wrecks.

“We’ve challenged Mob members to positively contribute to their community and not intimidate others.

“This is an ongoing project with an emphasis on relationships through community engagement.

“We’ve put in place a structure of accountability to ensure tasks are completed in keeping with the community’s priorities and expectations.

“We’ve created opportunities for our group to listen, talk to, inform and work with the people of our communities,” says Richard.

As a result, community confidence is on the rise.

“The community trusts us and has built confidence in us as they’ve seen changes they wanted put in place.

“It’s about communicating well and doing what we say we will do,” he says.

National Manager Community Policing, Superintendent Bill Searle, says the Petone initiative shows what can happen when government and non-government develop a problem-solving solution to suit the community.

“This model is one we’d use to describe the refreshed approach to community policing,” says Bill.

Petone Project Plan

A range of improvements have been put in place in Petone with the community’s backing as a result of the project:

• A community BBQ and health promotion day - assisted by Te Puni Kokiri
• Improved security lighting at the flats
• Increased random Police foot patrols
• Removal of abandoned vehicles
• Upgrade of a local hall
• Better access to, and communication with, Police and other support agencies
• A planned new bus service
• Ongoing community meetings at the Jackson Street flats
• Ongoing government agency liaison e.g. WINZ.

Project team members outside the Jackson Street flats from left:

Whare Clarke, Petone Mongrel Mob President;

Sergeant Steve O’Connor, Petone Youth Aid Section;

Blanche Collins, Youth Development;

Inspector Richard Chambers, Lower Hutt Area Commander;

Eric Faafiti, Samoan Representative;

Janice Awatere, Chairperson Te Hunga O Te Whanau;

Etau Okeroa, Flats Maintenance Officer;

Mere Te Paki, Community Social Worker;

Taraia Gage, Iwi Liaison Officer;

Theresa Patu, Project Leader J Team Wainuiomata.