Auckland man earns long service award
Peter Cooke has worked in the same job for 49 years.
The 73-year-old is the longest serving staff member at Mount Eden's Community Corrections service in Auckland.
The probation officer has been recognised with a long service and good conduct award.
It all started in 1971 when Cooke joined the probation service after gaining his law degree at Auckland University.
The probation service "seemed a good place to start and much more exciting than being a lawyer," he said.
"(I) stayed because I still have some of the idealism left and the criminal justice system is still an exciting place to work in."
In 1971 the Probation Service, as it was known, was a division of the Department of Justice.
This changed with the establishment of the Department of Corrections in 1996.
In Auckland, there was a main office in High St with reporting centres in the suburbs, Cooke said.
"I looked after Henderson and you were at the reporting centres at night on your own.
"In addition, probation officers collected fines and reparation as part of a special condition of probation, and a cash box with a float of money accompanied us."
Cooke was the sole charge district probation officer at Kaikohe.
He recalls travelling on his own to do home visits for most of the rural caseload.
Cooke has seen many changes over the years.
People under probation orders were now much more difficult to manage and more unpredictable, he said.
Before the 2002 Sentencing Act, there was a national Parole Board for those sentenced over 7 years Imprisonment and a District Prisons Board for each prison deciding release for those serving under 7 year sentences, Cooke said.
"They also decided on back end Home Detention before Home Detention became a separate sentence. "
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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43.2% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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56.2% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.6% Other - I'll share below
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