Pacific wardens help in combating teen crime

[Kiwi]

Pacific wardens help in combating teen crime
5:00AM Wednesday December 26, 2007
By Elizabeth Binning

When Constable Nigel Turnbull and his colleagues approach a group of youth gang members the teens frequently throw their head up in defiance.

The gesture is in part a challenge, part disrespect.

But it's a different matter when the country's first group of police-linked Pacific Island wardens are involved.

When the wardens - many of them church leaders or former Tongan police - approach, the teenagers drop their heads in a sign of respect.

"It's not quite as confrontational, but it is still an authority figure in their community so they have to give respect," said Mr Turnbull.

The teens often personally know these wardens and are aware that if it gets back to their parents that they have been disrespectful to members of the Tongan community, there will be trouble.

The Pacific Island wardens, who fulfil a similar role to Maori wardens, have been established in response to the growing number of youth gang crimes in Auckland's western suburbs.

The team of 12 Tongan men and women - who had their first outing at this year's Pasifika - are all volunteers who have come from churches across the Auckland region.

Some are as young as 19, meaning they have grown up with many of the people they are dealing with while out on the job.

For the past few months they have ridden out with Avondale police, learning the ropes, how to question people and record the information in a notebooks and more importantly, how to protect themselves.

In the new year, they will patrol the streets in Mt Roskill, Avondale, Owairaka and Hillsborough, acting as they eyes and ears for their uniformed counterparts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Mr Turnbull said the wardens - who attend weekly police intelligence meetings - are not there to do the job of the police. If a situation requires a police presence then police will still respond.

The wardens keep an eye on hotspots, work with at-risk youth or youth gang members and help police with non-threatening situations.

"If there is a situation where there is a bunch of young people all in their colours and kicking around in the park then the first person to jump out and talk to them will be the wardens."

Mr Turnbull said the wardens have already proved themselves to be a huge asset to police who can often find themselves being turned on by the parents of a young teen who has been taken home.

The teenagers often tell their parents in their own language that they were assaulted or picked on by police and what the police allege is not true.

When the wardens accompany police on the visits, they are often known to the family - either through church or family connections - so they are able to explain to parents what their son or daughter is saying is not true.

Meanwhile, Maori wardens are being given extra support, training and resources around the country.

A Government-initiated scheme is being trialled in six centres, in which local wardens have been equipped with gear such as radios and vans for greater mobility.

The wardens, who have traditionally worked for free, have been given a $2.5 million funding injection.

They are also being given proper training at police college where they learn about the law and how it applies to youth, first aid, self-protection tactics and legislation covering drugs, alcohol and family violence.

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