Belfast petition gets lukewarm response

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 9

Belfast petition gets lukewarm response

The Christchurch police have given a lukewarm reception to the announcement by the Labour member of Parliament for Papanui (Mr ’• M. K. Moore) that he will ■ petition Parliament for a ' “community liaison officer” to cover Belfast, Kainga and Stewarts Gully. Mr Moore has said that there is a problem of law - and order in Belfast. In a / ’ canvass he undertook, he • said he found that between 10 and 20 per cent of houses in Belfast had been burgled. He was starting a petition for a community liaison officer after a public meeting last year had reflected concern among residents about vandalism in the area. The head of the Christ- - church police district, . Assistant Deputy Commissioner G. E. Twentyman,

said that Belfast did not have an exceptional crime problem. “Most suburbs have individual problems in relation to burglaries, wilful damage, and so on and our view is that Belfast is not outstanding in this,” he said. Seven “community constables” had been appointed in Christchurch in the last seven years, but there were still important parts of the city which had no community constable. They had proved effective, particularly in controlling youth crime at shopping centres in New Brighton, Linwood, Riccarton, Hornby, Addington, Papanui, and Bishopdale, Mr Twentyman said. , ~ “We are very pleased with the results achieved by the community constables in Christchurch.”