Joining forces to tackle vandalism and destructive behaviour

Published on 05 July 2023

Council's HQ is a brutalist concrete building typical of the early 70s.

Like many other cities nationwide, Palmerston North is experiencing a rise in vandalism and destructive behaviour. With more than 30 incidents occurring at Council facilities across the city since the beginning of the year, Palmerston North City Council has been working proactively with local Police and community organisations to address this problem.

Mayor Grant Smith emphasised the proactive and positive approach being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.

“While we’ve experienced a real spike in vandalism and destructive behaviour, especially at our public toilets, community facilities and changing rooms, we want to assure our community that there’s a lot of hard mahi going on in the background with the Police and with our partnering organisations.”

Manawatū Area Prevention Manager, Senior Sergeant Andy Guy spoke of this partnership.

“Palmerston North and the Manawatū is a great place to work and live and we are absolutely committed to working with both the Council and our community partners to ensure the city is a safe place for everyone.”

The following initiatives have been implemented to help deter crime in general, highlighting ongoing collaborative efforts:

Council has recently increased its number of cameras on the city CCTV network from 27 to 124. This expanded surveillance not only helps deter crime but also facilitates police investigations, enabling a more effective response when incidents do occur.
Council actively engages with numerous community organisations in Palmy and the surrounding region to discourage antisocial behaviour. We also work with awesome youth organisations that play a vital role in keeping our young people on the right track and engaged in positive activities.
In partnership with Palmy BID, Council staff have held de-escalation training sessions for some businesses in the CBD. Shop owners, retailers and front-of-house staff have been equipped with effective situational safety.
The Ministry of Education has increased its Attendance Advisor count to three full-time officers in Palmerston North. This heightened presence aims to ensure that young people are attending school regularly, promoting positive engagement within the community.
Our Safety Advisory Board continues to meet every 6 weeks, playing a crucial role in identifying, analysing, and coordinating responses to local safety issues. The Board is made up of representatives from the Council, Rangitāne, local Police, community organisations and other central government agencies.

Mayor Grant Smith expressed his commitment to building a safe and inclusive community.

“We have World Health Organization Safe Community status and we must protect this. I encourage our community to continue to promptly report suspicious behaviour to our Police, as well as letting us know if there’s destruction to our Council facilities so we can respond quickly. The sooner we’re aware of things like graffiti, the better, and the easier it is to remove.”

Councillor Mark Arnott emphasised the accountability of individuals responsible for vandalism.

"Regarding the recent incidents at the Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine, we have reported them to the Police, and the area is covered by several CCTV cameras. We’re also pleased that the individuals responsible for the April incident have already been identified by Police, and appropriate measures are being taken to ensure accountability and address the consequences of their actions. Each incident comes at a huge cost, and sadly, fixing damages and cleaning up graffiti obviously takes money away from other areas and services."

Senior Sergeant Andy Guy said, “we will continue to hold offenders to account and support our community to address the causes of these types of behaviours.”