Campus cop enjoys student scene

Community Constable Max Holt patrols an area the size of a small New Zealand town.

He’s in charge of arguably the largest tertiary campus in the country – Otago University – with about 20,000 students and 9000 staff on his beat.

With a brief of proactive policing, Max says the benefits are many: working with other agencies, problem solving, helping people before they commit or become a victim of crime, and the students are great to deal with.

“There’s been a community constable looking after the campus since 1997,” says Max.

He’s the fourth and took the role about the time the student “fire culture” erupted around the University. There was also the infamous Undie 500, a car rally between Canterbury and Otago university students which “turned to custard”.

From his base next to the University Proctor’s office, Max deals with “the whole gambit of crime and safety issues”.

The Proctor handles minor matters such as broken bottles and noisy flats, while the more serious crimes such as assaults, computer crime and burglaries come to Max.

He says while students do some unbelievably stupid things, they’re generally not bad people. In fact, most crime on and around the campus is committed by non students.

Beating the fire culture is a major goal for Max. Otago students are responsible for around 300 fires a year – about 30 a month – dropping to one or two during January and February when most students are on holiday.

There’s been some problem solving around the arsons, and the number is reducing. A close relationship with the fire service has been vital to achieve this.

“I’d like to be able to stamp this culture out,” says Max. “One initiative that’s working is Campus Watch. It’s having a huge impact and we’re seeing results.”

Campus Watch was introduced around 18 months ago. It involves people employed by the University patrolling the campus and the adjoining northern suburb, where most of the University colleges are located, around the clock.

“Campus Watch is a great proactive presence,” says Max. “Members walk around the area getting to know people, noting when strange people are around and reporting anything unusual.

“Campus Watch generates a lot of intelligence for Police,” he says.

Each year’s new intake of students means doing the rounds of the hostels to discuss potential dangers and how students can keep themselves safe.

Burglaries and safe drinking are always high on his agenda, as is interaction with foreign students.

“Students from overseas are very law abiding,” he says. “But I can spend a lot of time explaining the New Zealand Police culture to them.”

While Max has responsibility for the University campus, he’s still an integral part of the Dunedin Police Station, attending crime meetings and linking in with other community services staff.

National Manager: Community Policing, Superintendent Bill Searle, says there are a number of community constables operating in universities around New Zealand.

“Max is doing a valuable job interacting and problem solving with his community. He’s also using technology, in the form of his website, very effectively.” For more information see Max’s website www.campuscop.co.nz