Attack at bus stop
Mum claims security guards ‘did nothing’ as teens tried to set girl’s hair on fire
Aconcerned mother claims security guards stood by while her daughter was attacked at a city bus stop by a group of teenagers who tried to set her hair on fire and threatened to put cigarettes out on her.
The chairman of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which contracts the security service at the Willow St bus stop, has criticised the security guards’ response, saying it was “totally unacceptable”.
He says police gave the security company the brief to “observe, record and report” but, in his view, the public expected guards to have more authority than this.
On Tuesday, a “high-level” meeting with senior police staff, Tauranga City Commissioners and Allied Security was held. Police will work with and help train security over the different levels of response.
The mother, who the Bay of Plenty Times has agreed not to name, said her daughter was waiting at the Willow St stop two weeks ago when she was attacked.
A group of four or five older teens approached her daughter and asked to use her phone.
The teens stole her phone and punched her. They got her on the ground, threatened to put cigarettes out on her and tried to set her hair on fire with a lighter in a bid to get the password, the mother said.
“It was sustained for minutes and the security did nothing, they were just standing there.”
When the mother arrived, the attackers were gone and a security guard allegedly said their job was to observe, record and report.
A police report was not filed because she and her daughter feared repercussions. Nearby businesses say there are ongoing issues with intimidation and thefts and feel security in the area needs to do more to curb the behaviour.
Allied Security won a contract for 305 hours of bus security a week to cover Bayfair, Greerton and Willow St in November.
All resources are now focused on Willow St.
Allied Security declined to comment, referring the Bay of Plenty Times to the regional council.
Regional council chairman Doug Leeder said Allied Security’s brief was to “observe, record and report” which was “at the request of the police department”. Police believed security should not remonstrate, admonish or try to arrest individuals, he said.
Leeder said, in his view, the public expectation was that security should have some authority other than to observe, record and report.
He said the issue between the brief and the practical reality needed to be resolved.
This would be between the regional council, police, and Allied Security and he would, as the chairman, ensure this happened. What was reportedly happening at the bus stop was not in the best interest of bus patronage, the community, and community safety and wellbeing, he said. “We’ve got to deal to it.” Leeder said the security response to the attack on the teenage girl was “totally unacceptable”.
“Whether you’re a security guard or a member of the public, I think it’s only fair and reasonable that intervention in those circumstances is justified.”
He said he would this take up with the area commander on behalf of the wider public.
Leeder was previously in the police and said: “it disappoints me if the current attitude in terms of public safety and security that people just stand by and watch, it doesn’t cut the mustard with me”.
He said those who genuinely stood in to assist the public, whether a security guard or not, should have the support of law enforcement to take fair and reasonable actions for the circumstances.
“You would think if some poor girl is being beaten on the pavement, someone would step in.”
The council was working with police and Allied Security to tackle ongoing problems at the bus stop.
“Police have indicated they will increase their presence and Allied Security are committed to improving the performance of the guards at the interchange,” Leeder said.
A detailed action plan had
You would think if some poor girl is being beaten on the pavement, someone would step in. Doug Leeder