Recently some in the Waikawa Beach community have proposed CCTV cameras at the village entrance. See Carefully targeted CCTV has its uses, Burglaries and prowlers at Waikawa Beach between February 2017 and May 2024 and Public meeting about security cameras, 19 May 2024.
The Waikawa Beach Ratepayers Association held a meeting on Sunday 19 May 2024 to discuss this idea. Below is a report from the WBRA on the meeting.
To further advance the discussion regarding the possible installation of CCTV camera technology at Waikawa Beach Village an informal community meeting was held at the Manakau Hall this afternoon (19 May 2024).
The meeting was well attended by approximately 40 people which was pleasing given that it was a warm and sunny afternoon.
WBRA informed the meeting of enquiries made to date with other similar communities both nearby and further afield as to their experiences of installing, monitoring and the resultant impact the installation of cameras has had in their communities.
The main focus of the group discussion was, in the first instance, the need for cameras in the area and secondly who would have access to captured images and to what use those images would be put.
WBRA was able to advise the group of the existence of the Horowhenua Community Camera Trust (HCCT) which is a voluntary organization housed in the Levin Police Station. The purpose of the trust is to manage images and other data collected by cameras installed in various locations in Horowhenua and to analyse data and make images available to Police when the need arises following a reported incident in a specific area. Access to all images is restricted to the volunteers who man the monitoring center and to Police personnel when a need for access is identified. The monitoring service is free of charge.
With regard to the need for CCTV cameras in the village the discussion centered on the deterrent value of cameras and also with other nearby communities having cameras installed the fact that there are none in Waikawa Beach could become widely known resulting in the area becoming a more of a target for property crime. The value of being able to supply high quality imagery to Police following an incident in the area was also raised.
The conclusion of the meeting was that WBRA should make further enquiries to establish where cameras should be placed, what type of technology would best suit the area and what would be the cost. Following that information becoming available a final decision as to the installation of cameras or not will be made. Should a decision to install cameras ultimately be made the meeting favoured the proposition that they should be managed and monitored by the HCCT.
Based on that outcome WBRA will now make the relevant enquiries, gather the required information and report back to the community as soon as possible.
Thanks to all who attended the meeting and for the very positive and informative comments offered by the attendees.
