Top brass urged to step up efforts amid crime spike

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

Canterbury appears to be underserved by the police, new figures show, as suburbs in Christchurch battle spiralling crime.

With about 650,000 residents, Canterbury makes up about 13% of New Zealand’s population.

But the region is only home to 987 sworn officers, about 9% of the New Zealand police force. National roles, such as those in the police prosecution team, are not counted in the district numbers.

It comes as some people in Christchurch are demanding an increased police presence following a massive spike in crime in their suburb.
Thefts and burglaries in Hornby are up by more than 80% in the past year, and tired residents are calling on the region’s top officers to step in.

Residents in Hornby are petitioning the police to have their police station manned 24 hours a day following a major spike in theft and burglary.

The petition, which on Monday night was just shy of 1000 signatures, will be presented to Canterbury Metro Superintendent Lane Todd on Tuesday night at a community meeting to discuss rising levels of crime.

Read the full story from reporter Shannon Redstall here (subscription required).