'Required to arrest': Inside the new police patrols handcuffing prolific shoplifters
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Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Man arrested twice over one weekend
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES An Oamaru man was arrested and charged with threatening to kill and driving with an excess breath-alcohol level over the weekend. Sergeant Blair Wilkinson said the 51-year-old Oamaru man was arrested early on Saturday in South Hill. "The man was arrested for threatening to kill, and threatening language and behaviour following a family harm incident," he said. The previous night, the man was also arrested and charged with driving with an excess breath-alcohol level in Thames Highway at 11.35pm, Sgt Wilkinson said. "The man was stopped and blew 671mcg after the police received a complaint by a member of the public about the manner of his driving," he said. He is due to appear in the Oamaru District Court on August 6, on charges of threatening to kill or commit grievous bodily harm, and drink-driving. A 27-year-old Oamaru man was charged with assaulting a person in a family relationship on Friday evening. Sgt Wilkinson said the charge followed a family harm incident Two other men were also arrested and charged last Friday evening with drink-driving. A 38-year-old Omarama man was stopped by police at 8pm on the Twizel-Omarama Rd. He recorded a breath-alcohol level of 584mcg, Sgt Wilkinson said. Later that evening a 22-year-old Oamaru man was stopped by police in Thames Highway. Sgt Wilkinson said the man recorded a breath-alcohol level of 853mcg. The men are due to appear in court on August 6.
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Call to sort out unwarranted vehicles
Scores of potentially unsafe cars have been lining Oamaru roads on a daily basis and one resident says it was time action was taken over the number of clearly unwarranted and unlicensed vehicles parked around the town. "It is not uncommon to see upwards of 12 such vehicles parked along both sides of Regina Lane," he told the Oamaru Mail. "Some registrations are months out of date, but others have expired for over three years. In many cases, the WOF [warrant of fitness] stickers are so faded they're unreadable. "My main concern is the serious safety risk these neglected vehicles pose, especially around this busy end of town with lots of school children wandering to school. It is highly likely that some of these cars have not received even basic maintenance, such as brake checks or servicing for years. These vehicles are effectively unmonitored hazards being driven around our town. "Vehicles that are legally registered have valid WOFs, often at considerable personal expense, and are properly maintained. This is essential to ensure our vehicles are safe for public roads and do not pose a risk to other drivers or pedestrians. "I have contacted NZTA regarding this matter, but they have advised me that as this is a council-maintained road, enforcement falls under the responsibility of the local council." However, he discovered the issue has been further complicated by a past decision of the Waitaki District Council to not apply for the necessary delegated powers to issue stationary vehicle offence notices for expired WOF or expired vehicle registrations. "Some councils choose to apply to central government for this delegation and carry out enforcement for these offences," the man's official correspondence from WDC states. "The WDC elected members some time ago decided against this option. "The New Zealand Police have the authority to issue stationary vehicle offence notices. However it is my understanding that they choose not to and will only do so if it is part of a mobile stop. "I would suggest perhaps that you contact the local Oamaru police community constable. They may be able to provide some advice. However, it is my experience that they will refer you back to council." WDC regulatory manager Andrew Bardsley said the issue had not been revisited by elected members since the original delegation decision was made six years ago. "Registration of vehicles is a central government licensing and taxation requirement; WOF is a vehicle safety issue which is outside the enforcement capability of council. "Council has a bylaw that allows it to enforce 'parking' related issues, not vehicle safety or licensing non-compliance. Applying for this delegation would make us the enforcement, and revenue collection agency, for central government — but would require resourcing from the council. "Waitaki District Council is responsible for the safety of council roads, and enforcement of parking related issues. NZ Police are responsible for the safety and licensing of vehicles using the roads." Responding to the Oamaru Mail, southern police Waitaki response manager Senior Sergeant Jason McCoy said police dealt with unregistered and unwarranted vehicles when those offences were encountered as part of an officer's normal duties. "Police will deal with parking issues if available, depending on other deployment priorities. "Parking issues in general are referred to parking services in the first instance and if they cannot respond police will respond, depending on deployment priorities at the time. "Police and council regularly meet to discuss issues. Police have not been made aware of issues with unregistered and unwarranted vehicles." However, the resident who raised the issue fears the problem could be much bigger than just Regina Lane and suspects it is being put in "the too-hard basket". "Owners of these vehicles must be held accountable before someone is seriously injured or killed. "This is not exaggeration, but a genuine public safety concern. I urge the council to implement routine inspections and enforcement to target unregistered and unwarranted vehicles, not only on Regina Lane but across Oamaru and the wider district. "To see a high-profile warden or some sort of enforcement officer, visibly patrolling council-managed streets, would surely focus some minds and increase legally compliant vehicles on our roads. "Honest people pay, others get away with it for free and I'd say a good chance of never getting caught. How is that fair?" Nationwide data supplied by NZTA shows as of May, 429,386 light passenger vehicles (car or van) have a current registration but no warrant of fitness, 157,341 vehicles have a current warrant but no registration and another 169,559 vehicles have neither.
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
‘Serious' bullying of teachers alleged at Wānaka school
Mount Aspiring College. Photo: Gregor Richardson Bullying, harassment and "deeply unsettling" behaviour by Mount Aspiring College students towards staff members has led to the school bringing in outside help to deal with the issue. A letter from the Wānaka school's Post Primary Teachers' Association branch representative Denise Bruns, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, revealed an ongoing issue with students bullying teachers. Denise Bruns. PHOTO: ODT FILES "It has been brought to my attention that there are still instances of bullying by students towards staff. Some of which are quite serious," she wrote in a letter to staff. One teacher who declined to be named told the ODT she had been called the C-word and other names by students in a classroom. Another source said other teachers had been subjected to derogatory language by students, some of it of a sexual nature. There had been incidents where students had surrounded teachers making them feel unsafe. In the letter, Ms Bruns asked staff to speak up about stressful incidents and whether they felt safe in the schoolyard environment. "I completely understand if you might feel hesitant, embarrassed or upset. Concerns have been raised about staff being on duty alone." She mentioned the repeated nature of the behavioural issues. "Most concerning was a report of a student making an intimidating comment that they revealed they knew a staff member's home address, implying a threat beyond the school environment. This kind of behaviour is deeply unsettling and must be taken seriously." Nicola Jacobsen. PHOTO: ODT FILES School principal Nicola Jacobsen told the ODT the "spontaneous" letter was addressing a "one-off" incident where three students followed a teacher in an intimidating way. "We have responded to a specific incident where a staff member had done the right thing on duty and tried to move some students on, and there was something that happened where essentially the students followed the teacher." She would not say how the students had since been penalised, but said they had been given "tough consequences". A safety plan for the teacher was put in place, which was the principal accompanying her on lunchtime duty. "I think what happened is the student followed the teacher when they disagreed with her, which was the wrong thing to do and the teacher did feel intimidated by their actions." It was a small group of students spoiling the situation, Ms Jacobsen said. "What we've got is a really small group of students who, for whatever reason, [are] not doing the right thing and not responding to interventions. "It is a long road to support those behavioural changes." That included getting in an outside agency to intervene in the children's behaviour. "The vast majority [are] doing the right thing. Teenagers make mistakes and sometimes get it wrong and staff at no point should not feel safe." She acknowledged staff had requested support aside from the one incident. The board and pastoral team were looking into data on behaviour at the school, and would be taking the issue seriously. "I do not want people to be by themselves on duty, when they would feel better and more supported if there was someone with them," she said. Mount Aspiring College board deputy chairman Mark Sinclair and Ms Jacobsen also issued a joint statement saying it had systems in place to address poor behaviour. "We have robust systems in place to ensure wrap-around support for students when dealing with behavioural incidents, and these procedures also exist to protect staff. "This includes free, confidential guidance counselling, access to external agencies and a united, collegial staff with multiple communications channels for individuals to feel supported across the school." Ms Bruns' letter said "restorative practices" with students had been ineffective. "Several staff described the process as 'not worth it', citing students refusing to give names or showing a complete lack of respect for the process, for staff or for school expectations." Mount Aspiring College is no stranger to controversy. In June 2020 the Ministry of Health put the school in statutory management following a poor education review report and parental concerns about a lack of leadership and governance. Among other issues at the time there were rumours of bullying among teaching staff, including of department heads bullying younger teachers, so much that some resigned or changed teaching positions within the school. Then-principal Wayne Bosley resigned that year. An independent chairman was appointed to the school's board in August 2020 and a new principal, Ms Jacobsen, who had been deputy principal at Pakuranga College, started at the school in January 2021.
