Greg O’Connor
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I’ve been thinking about this over the last few days.
When the Rebels Motorcycle gang, the first Australian gang, arrived here in 2009 the Nats talked very tough about how they weren’t going to allow them to establish. It didn’t work, and they now flourish. Once again showing tough talk does nothing. What our Government is doing is increasing police numbers, focusing on continually disrupting their behaviour and taking a multi-agency approach.
This is an unbelievably cynical, shallow and proven unsuccessful model which I’m sure thinking New Zealanders will not be fooled by.
I’ve spent a lifetime policing gangs, including spending time as an undercover police officer around the gangs scene. Any strategy has got to be about making sure young kids growing up in the areas where gangs predominate don’t see them as the only way they will ever be financially successful and have status.
Mainstream society can do its bit by making sure gangs and gangster behaviour is not seen as cool, which unfortunately they are often portrayed, particularly in the entertainment media.
