September 4, 2007

Council appoints graffiti-buster

North Shore City Council has shown it is serious about wiping out tagging by appointing Bruce Wood to the new role of graffiti prevention co-ordinator.

Senior Sergeant Wood, as he is now, will join the council in October following a distinguished 42-year police career.

In announcing the appointment, North Shore City’s environmental protection team leader, Warwick Robertson, says recruiting Mr Wood is a coup for a city committed to delivering on its Safe City status recently bestowed by the World Health Organisation.

“We’re very fortunate to bring someone of Bruce’s calibre and experience to shape and drive this new role.

“As our frontline resource, Bruce will work alongside regional graffiti prevention experts on fighting back against the scourge of tagging,” says Mr Robertson, himself a former police officer.

For the last 10 years Mr Wood has been the Waitemata Police District’s Community Relations Manager, and primarily responsible for truancy, youth, family violence, community constables, events and North Harbour Stadium.

His current employer is also stepping up its contribution to graffiti control by committing additional resources to supporting the Tagger Tracker programme, due to be officially launched later this year.

Warwick Robertson says North Shore residents and business owners deserve to live and work in a city free of graffiti.

“We want our community to feel safe and proud of their surroundings. We also want to protect the public purse from endless paint outs and vandalism.

“We’re taking positive steps to face this threat head on and with people like Bruce Wood on our team, we’re well placed to succeed.”

For more information about North Shore City Council - New Zealand’s fourth largest local authority – please visit www.northshorecity.govt.nz

ENDS

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