Neighbourhood Support

The initiative evolved to become Neighbourhood Support New Zealand, a community-owned and managed organisation with a wide-ranging interest in crime prevention and community safety.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding is to establish and promote a collaborative working relationship between Neighbourhood Support New Zealand Incorporated and the Police.

This is primarily achieved through the establishment of a "Neighbourhood Support Group", comprising anywhere from several to dozens of residential households in a single street or suburb.

Groups throughout a suburb or a wider town or city area are then coordinated by a Neighbourhood Support New Zealand Member Organisation which are often a stand alone Trust or Incorporated Society, but may also be operated through a local Council.

The following description is based on the framework adopted in New Zealand but is similar in intent to schemes known as "Neighbourhood Watch" in other countries.

They may also seek assistance from their Area Coordinator to plan an event such as a Community Safety Day or local meeting with Police or Fire and Emergency.

Suburbs, towns, cities or sections of a city are usually coordinated by one or more "Area Coordinators or Managers" whose role is to assist Neighbourhood Support Groups with important local news and information for their area, provide a conduit for Police to distribute crime alerts, and pass on other community safety tips.