by PETER GRACE
Disorder and general lawlessness have fallen and public safety has increased in Glen Eden in the past
two years, thanks at least in part to the township’s Samoan Catholic community.
Pacific wardens and priests outside the Glen Eden Safety Hub. Back row: Ulugia Peter Wright, Fr Valerian D’Souza, OFM Cap, Glen Eden assistant priest, Selepou Wright, Faimalo Emani, Constable Reginald Alofa, Felisi Luafaleolo,
Evelyn Stowers, Ioasa Simanu, Sera Simanu. Front row: Frs Herman Ming, OFM Cap, vice provincial, North India;
Adrian Curran, OFM Cap, provincial, Ireland; Remish Ekka, OFM Cap, provincial, North India; Mario Dorado, OFM
Cap, Glen Eden parish priest; Matthew Clerkin, OFM Cap, superior of the Glen Eden Francisan community.
The township has a team under Auckland’s Pacific Warden Programme.
Reginald Alofa from the police told NZ Catholic that the programme grew out of a joint initiative between the New Zealand Police and Auckland City Council.
“I’m the only member of police within the team,” Mr Alofa said. “Other Pacific warden members consist of those from the parish Samoan community.”
The team relocated last month from the church hall at Our Lady of Lourdes to the Glen Eden Safety Hub in the township, he said. Most of the team’s work is within the township, but they often get requests to be deployed outside to assist in large events such as the Pasifika Festival at Western Springs, rugby world cup games, Christmas in the Park or in other large gatherings.
The wardens also helped in a sports event at the Glenora Rugby League Club, “In Memory of Luke Tipene”, who had died. That attracted thousands of people, including teams from the New Zealand Warriors.
“Regular patrols are on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, with random patrols scattered throughout the week,” Mr Alofa said.
“Our busy periods are Friday evenings. We do get a lot of undesirables, and especially the youth gathering in the not-so-well-lit areas.
“The wardens are seen as community leaders in pastoral care, deterring alcohol drinking in public, buskers and people who loiter outside shops begging.”
The team has supervisors who take care of equipment such as radios, uniforms and the day to day running of the local programme. The president of the team is Felisi Luafalealo, Mr Alofa said. The two supervisors for the wardens are Phillip Emani and Peter Wright. “Family members, including children from 18 years of age, are also involved.
“Every member is vetted through the police in order to obtain an identification clearance.” Police conduct training in things such as notetaking and recording useful information, such as suspicious looking vehicles or persons, and staff safety.
Mr Luafalealo pointed out that as well as Friday and Saturday, some wardens try to also go around during the week, randomly if possible so any observers don’t pick up a pattern.
“We just ring around, see who’s available. Being visible around the area makes a difference.”
Pacific wardens keep an eye on what is happening at a protest in Glen Eden over the impending closure of the township’s Postshop. Note the two
wardens in the distance.
On July 25, the team had the job of monitoring a protest staged outside the Glen Eden Postshop.
“Obviously the community is upset that it’s looking to close down and is staging a protest,” said Mr Alofa. The duties of the Pacific wardens were to watch out for aggressive protesters and support the police.
In the event, it was a determined but good natured crowd of about 50, including local Labour MPs, that heard short speeches, shouted for the Postshop to stay and signed a petition.
Back at the Hub later, after a walk around the township, team member Evelyn Stowers told NZ Catholic that the programme began about two years earlier.
“The bishop [Patrick Dunn] was here for Confirmation that day and he blessed the whole initiative,” she said.
It has strong Samoan community support. “About 50 members,” Mr Luafalealo said. “That’s the number we have initially. They are registered members. Mainly families.”
“There had been a great change in the area [for the better] since we started two years ago,” he said.
Mr Alofa said he tries to come out once a month on patrol. “It’s a real blessing for the Church and the community. It’s a voluntary role, but the wardens do a great job.”
Business people seem to approve of the programme.
The local supermarket owner supports the programme, Mr Alofa said; for example, providing sausages for barbecues the team puts on.
They get to know the local scene well, Mr Luafalealo said. “Sometimes people get chased from Henderson, and we will know it,” he said.
Which are the priests ?