29 August 2023
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Teen assault
Enquiry
I am following up on the second assault in two weeks at the library bus stop. I am speaking with the mum shortly so may need to send some more questions back for a right of reply.
- Where were the City Guardians when this second assault happened yesterday and what was their response?
- What powers do the City Guardians have? Can they use force to split up a fight, or are they not allowed to touch a youth?
- At the RLC, who oversees community safety? Is there a role for this person?
- Tania mentioned yesterday that the council has gone “beyond our core responsibilities and are doing all we can to address crime and improve community safety in Rotorua including paying for security staff in the area”.
- What company is the security staff from that council is paying for now?
- What exactly is the council doing to address crime and improve community safety?
- Last week, Jean-Paul Gaston said: “There is a review currently under way and there will be a request for proposals from security firms, with a view to further enhancing what we already do.”
- Will the council re-employ Watchdog Security?
- How many proposals have the council received?
- How long will the process last?
- When exactly will the council be employing another security company?
Subsequent question from reporter after receiving our response:
Could you please clarify what exactly it means for the Guardians to de-escalate a situation when they are not allowed to physically intervene?
Response
We asked the reporter to ensure accuracy of reporting in terms of where these incidents occurred ie not at the actual bus stop but in Jean Batten Square and in Haupapa Street near Jean Batten Square respectively. We also provided the following:
From Group Manager Community and District Development, Jean-Paul Gaston, who now oversees RLC’s community safety team:
Re what RLC does to contribute to community safety and role of Safe City Guardians:
This sort of behaviour is not to be tolerated and community safety is a priority so we are doing what we can as a council to contribute to keeping our community safe.
Council’s Safe City Guardians patrol the CBD and Fenton Street areas daily, as do VR Security staff and the patrollers work in collaboration with council CCTV staff and the police, providing information, helping to deter anti-social behaviour and crime and de-escalating and providing assistance when incidents do occur.
The Guardians are part of a council team that includes CCTV monitoring staff and this team works closely with security contractors and local police.
Council CCTV cameras are monitored and enable patrollers and police to be alerted to incidents as well as frequently helping to identify offenders.
Council also contributes to community safety through the likes of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) ie opening up public areas so that people are visible, which deters anti-social and criminal behaviour.
The Guardians do not have the powers of the police and are not able to physically intervene. Their role is to engage with the public and to deter anti-social and criminal behaviour and if an incident appears to be about to occur/does occur/or is occurring and it is possible and safe to do so, to de-escalate the situation, which they often successfully do. The police are called when/as needed.
Council employs the services of Watchdog Security inside the library and VR Security for mobile patrols and was also for 18 months using the services of Watchdog Security for foot patrols but that 18 months recently ended.
Council currently has 7 Guardians and is recruiting an additional Guardian and we currently have 4 CCTV staff and are recruiting for another 2 there.
Security staff are also hired for Council events and venues, as needed.
Re yesterday’s incident:
Guardians on duty yesterday afternoon were at the Arawa Street end of Jean Batten Park by the bus stop when the incident occurred on Haupapa Street, out of their view.
Re review of community safety services and request for proposals from security firms:
A review of council community safety services has started and a request for proposals from security companies will be part of that but is yet to get underway and it would be inappropriate to pre-empt the potential outcome of that process.
Re what it means to de-escalate a situation:
The Guardians are trained in de-escalation techniques which focus on talking to people to calm a situation, so communication rather than physical intervention.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Food and organic waste collection progress
Enquiry
I was looking to do an update on the rubbish collection after councillors approved kerbside collection of food and garden waste on a weekly basis while reducing general rubbish to a fortnightly collection.
I was aware staff were working to know how the service would operate and I was wondering if that has been finalised, and what the details are?
When might a change be implemented?
How would it implemented?
What discussions have there been regarding potential local enterprise, such as facilities dedicated to converting waste to energy?
Is this still accurate: The expected cost to ratepayers was between $46 and $58 a year.
Any other info or comment?
Response
The reporter was advised there’s no update to give at this time, that as per Council’s decision in May to proceed, procurement is now underway which will determine costs and once this has been completed and evaluated a report will go to Council early next year for consideration and further decision-making, so that’s when the next update will be.