What are Community Patrols?
"THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY PATROLS is to provide a safer community and help to reduce crime".
COMMUNITY PATROLS OF NEW ZEALAND
The national body overseeing local Community Patrols is Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ), this body oversees an organisation which comprises some 160 patrols (and 6000 volunteers) covering towns, rural areas and cities throughout the length of New Zealand; each patrol servicing the needs of their own area.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT BEING A COMMUNITY PATROLLER, IN UPPER HUTT?
Upper Hutt Community Patrol (UHCP) is staffed by volunteers, who give up some of their own time, and take responsibility for, creating a "safer community" within Upper Hutt. We do this by providing additional "eyes and ears" for Police, but also work with a wide range of other groups within the Community, to make Upper Hutt (and the wider Hutt Valley) a safer place for everyone.
Anyone over 18 years of age who wants to contribute to safety within their community can apply to join a community patrol; however, there are strict membership criteria, and police vetting is required. UHCP is always on the lookout for good quality new recruits, these will be people who want to make a difference within the community in which they live. Age at the upper end of the scale is not necessarily a barrier to joining the Patrol, as we have a strong "retired persons" group within UHCP.
Membership of a Patrol involves a commitment to give time to regular and special event patrolling, with both vehicle and foot based patrols; together with an on-going training commitment.
UHCP has links to (and works regularly with) a range of organisations, including the Upper Hutt City Council, schools, other community organisations and the Police; all who share a similar interest in "providing community safety".
If you'd like to learn more about us, please contact us.
RECOGNITION OF THE BENEFITS OF UHCP TO OUR COMMUNITY
In 2017, Upper Hutt Community Patrol won the Upper Hutt City "Health and Well-being" category in the Council's Regional Community Awards.
The Patrol was nominated for this award in recognition for its anti-graffiti work, which the Patrol has carried out over recent years. This on-going anti-graffiti project sees the Patrol take the lead in "painting over" graffiti in areas of the city not covered by the Local Authority. The Patrol has worked with individual communities allowing the removal of graffiti so that these individuals and individual communities "feel safer".
Thanks to all those (both patrol members and public) who have participated in this initiative. If your community is suffering from graffiti / tagging, feel free to contact us, so we can work together to make your community feel safer.