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Doesn't theÌýshooting inÌýAucklandÌýovernightÌýillustrate to youÌýthatÌýthe Police Ministers’ idea of gettingÌývolunteersÌýtoÌýdo patrols inÌýAucklandÌýCBDÌýso policeÌýdon’tÌýhave toÌýis not only cooked, butÌýalsoÌýdangerous.

The latest from police is that these guysÌýdidn’tÌýknow each other and got into a verbal altercation on FortÌýStreet.

Next minute, gotÌýintoÌýaÌýphysicalÌýaltercation, and nextÌýminute one chap pulls out a gun and shoots one bloke in theÌýabdomen, anotherÌýin the head, andÌýthenÌýtakesÌýoff on a Lime scooter.Ìý

For a start, do they really thinkÌýthatÌýpeopleÌýthat are preparedÌýto shoot at each other areÌýgonnaÌýbe put off byÌýaÌýcoupleÌýofÌývolunteersÌýpatrollingÌýthe street?Ìý

But even to theÌýpoint...Ìýdo we really want to those volunteers walking into a situation like that?

Imagine justÌýforÌýaÌýsecond, that aÌýcoupleÌýofÌýMaoriÌýwardens came across those menÌýrumbling last night.Ìý

What if they tried to break up theÌýfight where one of those guys had a concealed gun?Ìý

IÌýdon’tÌýwant to sendÌýMaoriÌýgrandmas and granddads intoÌýthat, that'sÌýnuts.Ìý

It’sÌýcrazy that the Police Minister even thought this wasÌýfeasible.Ìý

Police are doing a valiant job ofÌýtryingÌýto tellÌýAucklandersÌýthat there’sÌýnothingÌýtoÌýworryÌýabout today.Ìý

ButÌýyou’dÌýhave to be living under a rockÌýnotÌýto notice the increase in violentÌýcrimeÌýinÌýthatÌýpart of the city lately; thisÌýis theÌýsecond shooting in two weeks.

It comes after a massÌýbrawlÌýofÌýmultipleÌýpeopleÌýlayingÌýinto one guy on the waterfront inÌýMay, and itÌýcomesÌýafter kids with hammers held up aÌýjewelleryÌýstore on QueenÌýStreet.Ìý

Police Minister Ginny needs to get with the page.

We need moreÌýcops.Ìý

Remember those 1800Ìýextra policeÌýwere recruited to fill a gap that existed in 2017 already.Ìý

That was before Labour emptied the prisons.Ìý

That was before hundreds more 501s arrived here.Ìý

It was before theÌýComancherosÌýeven set up a chapter inÌýNZ.Ìý

Six years onÌýandÌýa heckÌýof a lot more crime, we need more police patrollingÌýAuckland’sÌýCBD,Ìýand everywhere else.

We do not need grannies and grandads trying to break up fights, andÌýI’dÌýbet you that evenÌýGinnyÌýrealisedÌýthat after lastÌýnight.Ìý