Police and community team up for clean-up

Police and community volunteers collected 14 tonnes of rubbish from two streets in south Levin during the weekend as part of a community clean-up.

The "mucking-in" event was led by Sergeant John Battersby from the South Levin Neighbourhood Policing Team in the hope that it will foster relationships between Police and the local community and help bring about a sense of pride amongst residents.

"Many who live here simply don't have the money to take their rubbish to the dump, so it ends up at the back of properties and becomes a fire risk," says Sergeant John Battersby.

Amongst the general rubbish, green waste and graffiti were also removed, and the Morgan Crescent Reserve Park fencing even got a lick of paint.

Feedback from the event already indicates that it achieved what it set out to do.

"People who previously didn't want to talk to us, have been extremely positive and when some Neighbourhood Police Team officers drove by the area this morning someone was vacuuming her home, so the clean up appears to be on-going.

"Follow up ideas of what to do next are already filtering through and include the suggestion of a community garden.

Preparation for the clean-up included regular visits to the area's Tao Toko School where Neighbourhood Police Team officers helped out on the school's junior neighbourhood support project.

"Some of the kids involved in these projects are now being a positive influence on their older siblings. One youngster told off his older brother last week when talking to some members of the team, telling him, "These were good cops!"

"This is crime prevention in action. Working alongside the community to create a more positive environment for everyone is what wins hearts and minds," says Sergeant John Battersby.