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19 July, 2024
Local police diverted to combat crime in CBD
A senior constable who works with North Shore schools is among police officers who have been seconded from their usual roles to staff a ‘safer streets’ operation in the crime-hit Auckland CBD.
Waitematā District staff in investigation-support and family-harm roles have also been assigned to the central-city initiative.
In an email obtained by the Flagstaff, School Community Officer Murray Fenton advised schools including Campbells Bay, Forrest Hill, Milford and Takapuna primary schools, Takapuna Normal Intermediate School, and Rosmini and Carmel Colleges that he and several colleagues had been put on the safer-streets team.
“As a result of this Safer Streets initiative, it is with regret that I have to inform you that I will be unavailable for the next six months,” he said. “I apologise for any commitments that I have made with you. This directive was given to me at short notice by my supervisor.”
The secondments were due to a lack of staff to launch the initiative.
“This was not something that I volunteered for and I can assure you that it is not something I am looking forward to as it will cause massive disruption and turmoil to myself and my family.”
Schools later received an email from the relieving Waitematā East area commander, Michael Rickards, assuring them police had “a robust plan” to mitigate Fenton’s removal from his role.
Operation Safer Streets – “an intensive deployment operation to target anti-social behaviour and crime in the CBD” – was announced last month by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, who said it would continue until a new Community Beat Team was fully established, staffed with extra officers confirmed in this year’s Budget.
Fenton told schools it was hoped that in six months sufficient new recruits would have graduated to replace those officers seconded to the Auckland initiative.
“Our district has had to take staff away from some critical areas of policing such as investigation-support units, community policing, family harm and MPES (Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Services) groups,” he said.
He had been told his colleagues would “try to get through everything while I am away”.
One of the main areas schools might need assistance with was road-patrol training.
Responding to Observer questions about Fenton’s secondment, Rosmini headmaster Nixon Cooper said: “We have valued Murray’s advice from time to time and the impact of his secondment is mildly concerning.”

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