Free phone-in foils felons

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 511, 9 November 1993, Page 8

Free phone-in foils felons

The Police and Television New Zealand are trialing a new programme feature aimed at extending the crime busting benefits of the monthly ' Crime watch' programme. While almost half all Crimewatch cases are solved or significantly advanced, many phone calls which could solve more crime go unanswered each month when the Crimewatch switchboard has to shut down. The new programme feature, 'Crimeline', is designed to pick up these calls and provide a specific opportunity for people to report information about suspected serious crime. "What we clearly needed was a way to make more effective use of the public's willingness to report crime," says the

project co-ordinator, Inspector Rodger Honan. "The same level of confidentiality which Crimewatch callers get will, if required, apply to the identity of 'Crimeline' callers," he says. "It's the information about crime that we want." With the support of Telecom and TVNZ, a toll free 0800 number is being set up to take calls across 12-day cycles in November in trials which will determine whether 'Crimeline' continues next year. A 24-hour police team at Police National Headquarters will take the calls during each 12-day cycle. The operating dates are 8-19 November and will start two days before the monthly Crimewatch programme and finish 10 days afterwards. The Crimeline concept

is used in Canada, Britain and Australia to cut the crime rate. In Australia it led to 416 arrests last year. A call to 'Crimeline' might help police solve a crime or identify the perpetrators - and it's easy as picking up the phone and dialling 0800-654 654 For emergency calls, 111 should always be used. That's the toll free number to call when the police 'Crimeline' television feature is put through its trials with the help of Television New Zealand and Telecom between 8-19 November. "If the public response is strong, we will look positively at establishing 'Crimeline' as a permanent feature from next year," says the project co-ordinator, Inspector Rodger Honan. Tum to page 11

Crimeline phone - in

From page 8 "The job of Crimeline is to give people an opportunity to phone in with information to help the police reduce crime, particularly violence (including family violence), dishonesty (burglaries and theft), and drug related crimes." During the 'Crimeline' trials, a team of trained police will take calls, determine their level of priority, and pass on the information to the relevant Police District for action. "Just like the monthly ' Crime watch' programme on TV One, 'Crimeline' calls can be made in complete confidence and we will do the rest," says Mr Honan. The Districts, using their own local

knowledge, will make their assessments about the priority level of the information that comes in from 'Crimeline' and take the appropriate action. "Don't always look for immediate results - it may take some time to get to the bottom Of your information but all the contributions we get will help us get a better picture," he says. Localised 'Crimeline' operations have already been run in some centres of New Zealand like Hastings where, over two weeks, police received 300 calls, made 80 arrests, and issued 104 warnings. "By putting a national framework on the concept, We expect to make a real impact on crime," he says.