Nelson Community Patrol (NCP) works closely with Nelson City Council and the New Zealand Police to reduce crime and build safer communities

NCP volunteers patrol the Nelson, Tahuna and Stoke areas and monitor the closed circuit television cameras around Nelson's inner city from within Nelson Police Station.

Nelson adults of all ages, who want to help the Police in keeping our city safe from crime and anti-social behaviour have joined NCP since we began patrolling in 1994.

Nelson Community Patrols are NOT Police Officers or Security Guards and do not confront wrongdoers and suspicious individuals. Instead, NCP acts as the 'eyes and ears' of Nelson's Police and reports graffiti and infrastructure problems to Nelson City Council.

Volunteers wishing to join NCP are vetted by Police to make sure they are of good character and then must sign a declaration of confidentiality and agree to abide by a code of conduct before starting their training.

Patrol members attend briefings at the Nelson Police Station before going out on patrol. The patrol vehicle has a two-way Police radio fitted and carries numerous other items of equipment that may be utilised in the event of an emergency.

Patrols are always carried out by pairs of volunteers who do not leave the patrol vehicle (except when doing beach patrols or in a dire emergency). Anything suspicious or noteworthy is reported by police radio to a Communications Centre which then directs Police, Fire or Ambulance to the incident as appropriate.

Both the "Nelson City Council Community Liaison Adviser - Safe City" and a Police Liaison Officer meet regularly with NCP to assist and support our work in many practical ways.

The Community Patrols of New Zealand Charitable Trust Board

First called "Roving Eyes", we were one of the first local authority organised Community Patrols in New Zealand when we started in 1994. In the latter part of 2001 we changed our name to " Nightwatch Nelson" and were quick to affiliate with the national body when it registered as a charitable trust on 24 April 2002.

Robert Fowler, the national chairman of Community Patrols New Zealand (CPNZ), has said: "Our approach is passive and non-confrontational. We have a memorandum of understanding with the police and strict rules we abide to."

Many of NCP's volunteers have studied to gain Certificates in Community Patrolling recognised by NZQA and one of our members was recently appointed as Tasman Police District Representative to the CPNZ National Council.

Autonomous and Independent

Nelson Community Patrol works closely with Police and CPNZ on a daily basis and has been supported both practically and financially by Nelson City Council since inception. However, NCP is made up of ordinary people who want to give something back to their community and remains independent and self-governing.

Nelson City Council very kindly provides a vehicle and pays for our fuel. We welcome other financial sponsorship to help with our operating expenses and boost our training and equipment levels.

In the quarter year that ended 30 September 2009, NCP patrols drove 1769 kilometres and contributed 328 manhours. We reported 88 incidents including locating stolen cars and their occupants, describing insecure premises, observing and reporting drunkenness, disorder and property damage and assisting police locate offenders.