Complain to police — Kaiapoi Council

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 16

Complain to police — Kaiapoi Council

The Kaiapoi Borough Council has called on Kaiaooi residents to take more of their complaints to the police. The council will also write to the police expressing disappointment about the response to an inquiry on future staffing of Kaiapoi. The council had written to the police asking about staffing levels in Kaiapoi. The deputy -assistant commissioner of police (Mr G. E. Twentyman) replied that future staffing would depend on population and crime trends.

“People have to go to the police and make their complaints known and registered in writing,” said Cr T. Williams. “Unless we report it. the police say there is not enough crime in Kaiapoi,” he said.

“1 don't need a crystal ball to tell what is going to happen in Kaiapoi it nothing is done,” said Cr H. W. Cumberland. “1 have had people approach me about the question of setting up a vigilante group.” Cr M. O. Cleland moved that the council write to the Commissioner of Police (Mr R. Ji Walton) expressing extreme disappointment because his reply to the council did not ..nswer any of its questions.

“We must point out to the police that their role is as much a preventative one as anything else. Unless we get some improvement, we are going to go from bad to worse,” she said. “In this area the police serve a population much

greater than our borough population statistics, and we are not staffed to meet the need,” she said. Cr H. G. McAllister suggested a meeting be arranged between the council, Mr 'Twentyman and the Member of Parliament for Rangiora (Mr D. F. Quigley). The council also arranged a meeting with members of the Rangiora District Council to continue discussions about amalgamating the two authorities. The Mavor (Mr B. O. Williams) said the discussions. which had been going on for the last year, would work out a draft scheme for the amalgamation. The meeting has been arranged for 7 p.m. on March 5.