Wellington launches trial to make city streets feel safer

Wellington City Council’s City Safety team is launching a trial of Safety Points to make the city streets safer.

The clearly marked intercoms will connect people to help immediately, if they’re feeling unsafe or need support in the New Zealand city and have been installed in three different central locations.

Creating safer city streets

Safety Points will be installed for a trial period of six- to nine months, during which time data will be collected on how they’re used, and the process behind them tested and refined, ultimately providing a better service to Wellingtonians.

They can be found at the following locations:  

• Cuba Mall (near 117 Cuba Street) 
• Te Aro Park (19 Dixon Street) 
• Courtenay/Allen Street (35 Courtenay Place).

All three locations are visible through the existing CCTV camera network and have lots of foot traffic.

Anyone feeling uncomfortable or unsafe in these areas can push a button to talk to someone via the intercom immediately. A safety operator will be on the other end of the intercom 24/7, and will be able to provide immediate guidance to the person and coordinate help to be sent their way if needed.

“We’ve heard the concerns about feeling unsafe at night, and the Safety Points are a practical step we’re taking to respond – visible, simple, and easy to use”

The cameras have been put in places that can be seen through existing CCTV, so safety operators can monitor the person until they feel safe. Using the existing network of CCTV cameras helps reduce the cost for this trial, as that infrastructure is already in place.

City safety senior responsible officer Sehai Orgad said the Safety Points are part of a broader shift in how Wellington City Council is approaching public safety.

“We’ve heard the concerns about feeling unsafe at night, and the Safety Points are a practical step we’re taking to respond – visible, simple, and easy to use,” said Orgad. “They’re strategically located, and linked into our CCTV network so we can monitor what’s happening and connect people to help when it’s needed.