The West Coast is one of three new locations to launch the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) Work Programme in 2024. An official launch was held at the EPIC centre in Westport on 7 June, with Associate Minister of Police, the Honourable Casey Costello formally announcing the expansion of the initiative to Te Tai o Poutini West Coast.
ROCC is an initiative supporting and enabling communities to respond to locally identified harms and social conditions associated with organised crime.
On the West Coast, the ROCC Work Programme is supported by a local multi-agency leadership group, chaired by West Coast Regional Public Service Commissioner, Craig Churchill, in partnership with Police represented by District Commander, Superintendent Tracey Thompson.
"The West Coast ROCC work programme aims to ensure local, tailored, social intervention will complement enforcement action, bringing about lasting change for communities here," Mr Churchill said.
The ROCC Work Programme has three key focus areas which are all priorities for West Coast communities:
- Those at risk from engaging in, or being the victims of, organised crime
- Persons impacted by methamphetamine and its associated harms
- Rangatahi (youth) on the pathway into organised crime (and their families)
As Superintendent Thompson summarised; "It's about addressing the harm in the community we are seeing caused by methamphetamine, and the effect it has on our youth and whānau. While Police provide an enforcement response, through ROCC coming to the West Coast, holistic support and restorative processes will help address the root cause of offending. ROCC is a positive programme to support our communities and whānau to thrive".
A phased regional workplan for the West Coast has been developed, drawn from local aspirations following recent community engagement by agencies. Driving the implementation of the Work Programme, a local ROCC leadership group has been established which includes: Iwi - Poutini Ngai Tahu, New Zealand Police, Ministry of Social Development, Ara Poutama - Department of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, Te Whatu Ora - Health NZ, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Education, District Council Mayors (Grey, Buller and Westland).
Minister Costello announced the ROCC Work Programme includes $2.6m of funding for the West Coast over the next two years (Via the Community Resilience and Whānau Support (CRWS) Fund). A local commissioning panel will make decisions about the distribution of funds to regional services engaging with the programme.
"Funding will support successful existing programmes and seek to address any perceived gaps in services, thereby improving access to support for communities and vulnerable whānau," Mr Churchill said.
The West Coast ROCC Work Programme will build off the significant work undertaken in the past three years by the Methamphetamine Impact Group which facilitates a navigation service for people seeking assistance with methamphetamine addiction on the Coast.
