Masterton Community Patrol celebrate the launch of a new vehicle. PHOTO/EMMA BROWN
Masterton Community Patrol celebrated the launch of a new patrol vehicle on Tuesday night
For more than 15 years, Masterton Community Patrol has been patrolling the streets, acting as extra eyes and ears in the community.
Working alongside police, the volunteers undertake shifts driving around the community visiting “hot spots” and keeping an eye on the community, alerting emergency services to any crime and providing non-urgent information back to police.
Three years ago, the group got a dedicated patrol vehicle, volunteer Cheryl Watson said.
Before that, the volunteers had to use their own vehicles, leading to the community not being able to identify what was a patrol vehicle.
A couple of years on, the Masterton Community Patrol volunteers are excited to have a new and specifically designed and approved vehicle for them to use.
A patrol aim is to make the community feel safer by being out and about keeping an eye on areas, Watson said.
In Wairarapa, there are four community patrols: Masterton, Carterton, Featherston, and Martinborough.
They are affiliated with Community Patrols of New Zealand and there is a police liaison officer allocated to work with them.
- Anyone interested in joining a community patrol in Wairarapa, visit cpnz.org.nz.
