MAYOR PLANS PRIVATE FORCE TO FREE UP POLICE IN BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS

One of New Zealand's biggest councils plans to introduce a private
police force to investigate minor crimes, allowing police to target
methamphetamine.

Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey said he wanted to free up police time to
allow officers to tackle more serious crime.

Harvey said he had "abandoned begging and scrabbling" to central
government for more police. "It simply has not worked."

Instead, he was approaching central government for money to create his
own "law and order" force, in a bid to fight the "Pure"
methamphetamine epidemic which has earned west Auckland the label "the
meth capital of NZ".

"What good do cops do investigating burglaries when they could be
investigating P?" asked Harvey. His model was inspired by the lateral
approach taken by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose hardline
"broken windows" policy targeted all crime and led to a huge cut in
offending.

It also mirrors the British "special constables" scheme, in which
volunteers work four hours a week alongside police.

Specially-trained council staff would do drug counselling, record
crimes reported by the public and investigate minor crimes such as
burglary.

Harvey wanted the money to come from central government, and pledged
that ratepayers would not pay.

The unit would be based at the council's next transport hub due to be
opened next month and would operate 24 hours a day.

"It's a new method, hopefully partnered by government, to alleviate
police from some issues so they can get on with their jobs. Council,
in partnership with government, can take over a wide range of policing
issues."

Harvey said his main concern was methamphetamine.

Council staff had already been asked to watch for signs of use and
manufacture, with 60 field officers receiving specialised police
training to help identify problem areas.

Auckland city mayor John Banks said he would again approach Police
Minister George Hawkins for more police. He would not criticise
Hawkins - "I do not seek to irritate the mind, I seek to persuade" -
but said more police, health and justice resources were needed to beat
methamphetamine.

"It is going to take a lot more money. This methamphetamine is taking
vulnerable young people on a one-way journey to hell."

A spokeswoman for Hawkins said his view was New Zealand had only one
police force and that was the New Zealand police.

"Councils don't have police. Until Mr Harvey presents the minister
with his concept, he has no further comment to make," she said.

Hawkins said last week the government had allocated $6.6 million over
four years in this year's budget to fund two police teams trained in
the cleanup of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories.

The teams, each with five police officers and two civilian staff,
would be based in Auckland and Wellington, with the Wellington team
also covering the South Island. They would begin work on January 1.