
Conflicts in Tairāwhiti
A significant Police operation has begun across Tairāwhiti, following several concerning incidents stemming from tensions between rival gangs.
Eight incidents, involving assaults and firearms, have been reported between 16 March and 23 March. Police and gang leaders have been working to ease tensions, but an escalation in the conflict between rival gang members has forced us to draw on additional powers.
Yesterday afternoon, Police were issued a Gang Conflict Warrant under the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Act, giving Police special powers to search vehicles and occupants of vehicles of suspected gang members, and to seize firearms and weapons, and vehicles.
Officers from across the district are supporting the operation, which will involve a heavy Police presence in Gisborne and further afield. Our focus, and the focus of all staff, is the safety of our communities. The incidents we’ve been made aware of posed a very real threat to the lives of those involved, and innocent members of the public. We’re not going to tolerate it.
We are continuing to work with gang leadership while sending a clear message to all gang members that they are in our spotlight.
Additional Police will be patrolling communities across Tairāwhiti, stopping vehicles with links to gang members, searching addresses, and progressing enquiries into the recent events of concern.
We want to assure our Tairāwhiti communities that we are driving this hard and will be committing significant resources to holding gang members accountable for their actions.
Police need the community to help us, and people can do that by reporting illegal or suspicious activity, by calling police on 111 if it’s happening now, or making a report via 105 if it’s after the fact.


Poll: If you could rewind time, would you choose a different career?
It might not be too late for you, but some people look back and wish they had taken a different career path.
If you could go back in time, would you choose something different? Let us know what you would have chosen in the comments below.

-
58.5% Yes
-
41.2% No
-
0.2% Other - I'll share below

Show us your projects
Whether it's craft, haberdashery, woodwork or upcycling, we'd love to see what you've been working on lately.
You may even spark someone else's creativity...
Tell us about your current project or show us a picture in the comments below...

Crematorium in Havelock North
Crematorium in Havelock North meeting to be held for Havelock North Friends and Neighbours, Monday 14th
April 2025, at 2pm. Place Civic Administration room, floor 0, Hastings District Council offices.
Caleb Sutton Environmental Consents Manager
Dave Bishop team leader environmental Consents/Subdivision
John O’Shaughnessy
Will be present at the meeting
Are you concerned about this and if so, you are invited to
attend a meeting with the department who consented on
this new Crematorium. As residents and ratepayers, we
feel we were never given the opportunity to speak up
about this major decision so now is your chance.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
Do not let our beautiful village be ruined of its uniqueness
forever by a bad decision made on our behalf. A more
appropriate decision would be to have it out of a residential area or with appropriate car parking and a place for mourners to congregate.
Marion and Garrie Griffiths