Auckland's gayest street is under increased police surveillance as rookie cops learn the ropes by patrolling the city drinking hotspot. K' Road Business Association's Barbara Holloway GayNZ.com readers have reported back from recent nights out on K' Road, saying they'd seen several police officers, in groups of twos and threes, pounding the pavement and chatting to bar and nightclub patrons on Friday and Saturday nights. K' Road Business Association Manager Barbara Holloway says she's pleased to see more crime prevention on the busy street. "We've been asking for more police on the street for quite some time, and have even employed a full-time security guard," she explains. The officers people are seeing on their nights out are trainees who are teamed up with senior police. "It's great to see them there," Holloway says. "They have also been working with us on putting into place safer practices for people running businesses on their own." Since Auckland's CBD is the only part of the city with 24-hour liquor licensing, K' Road has been described by police as a 'magnet' for people to continue drinking after less central bars and pubs have closed, which can lead to violence in the early hours of weekend mornings. Back in July, a senior police officer suggested Auckland's licensed venues should all by forced to close at 3am, but Mayor John Banks swiftly rejected the idea.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Thursday, 6th November 2008 - 1:17pm