Police seek anti-patch bylaw | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Masterton police have proposed a council bylaw outlawing gang insignia to combat the growing visibility of young men sporting Nomad-branded apparel.
Over the past two years gangs _ particularly the Nomads _ have shown an increased presence in the town, wearing baseball caps and T-shirts bearing the gang's name.
The Nomads' presence has been particularly noted over recent months outside the Masterton District Court, while inside the court judges have been issuing more bail conditions forbidding alleged criminals from associating with gang members.
''Masterton police are considering the options for a bylaw to prohibit gang insignia in Masterton's CBD. Police are yet to talk to the council about this but will do so in due course,'' Wairarapa police area commander Inspector John Johnston said yesterday.
Wanganui set a precedent with the first anti-gang patch law enacted last year, propelled into legislation under controversial Mayor Michael Laws.
Mr Laws said he fully supported Masterton police's proposal, saying: ''The Wanganui experience is that the anti-gang patch bylaw works. The police love it and it has made a dramatic and positive impact on our community.''
However, unless a national measure was passed, Masterton would need to follow Wanganui and get parliamentary approval allowing the council to sidestep the Bill of Rights and introduce the bylaw.
He said Local Government New Zealand was in the process of convincing the Government to pass special legislation based on the Wanganui Prohibition of Gang Insignia Act and Bylaw 2009.
Mr Laws said he was confident the special legislation would be passed and the Wanganui bill could be replicated at a national level.
Te Whanau O Maungarongi domestic violence prevention co-ordinator Tere Torea was the target of gang violence when his Colombo Rd house was badly damaged in a firebombing attack in 1995.
Mr Torea said he would support the proposed bylaw only if it was backed by a community willing to police it.
''I'm for it if it's got the backing and support _ not only of the council and police but the community. The community's the big one. You can have all the legislation in the world. However, it's the community and their response to the law that's important.
''It's like anything to do with criminal activity _ you need eyewitnesses. The bylaw will be meaningless unless the community act as the eyes and ears,'' Mr Torea said.
Masterton councillor Edwin Perry said he had reported instances of people sporting gang insignia to police over the past six months and would fully support the banning of insignia in the CBD.
''You can put my name up on that. I'm right behind it.
''As a councillor, I'm about keeping the community safe.
''Local citizens in the community don't need this intimidation and threatening presence,'' Mr Perry said.
Alongside Masterton, Timaru, Kapiti, Hastings and Whakatane District Councils are also looking at an anti-gang patch bylaw.