The administrator of a Paihia CCTV Facebook page has apologised for posting photos and the name of a homeless man, saying he did it in the hope of getting him some help.

The July 1
Facebook post has since been deleted but not before it sparked a furore online.
Paihia residents also contacted the Advocate to express concerns about what they saw as misuse of the town’s CCTV cameras and a breach of the man’s privacy.

Among them was Richard McIntosh, who went out for dinner with friends on the evening of June 30 and saw the man standing on the corner of Williams and Marsden roads wrapped in a blanket. He was still there when they went back to their car.

The following morning the man’s name, personal information and surveillance camera photos had been posted on Facebook.

“It’s outrageous.There was no evidence of crime, no suspicion of crime, nor a nuisance to others going about their business. But he gets the full police-style suspect treatment, surname in capital letters and all,” McIntosh said.

The incident had shattered his faith in the CCTV system contributing to the safety and security of people in Paihia.

“At a minimum, the chap in question needs a fulsome apology,” he said.

McIntosh said he had lodged a complaint with Community Patrols NZ, which works with police to support volunteer patrols and community CCTV systems.

The man who administers the Paihia CCTV Facebook page said he understood the concerns about his post.

“I’ve learned from it … I wasn’t intending to breach his privacy but I can see their point, and I definitely apologise for that.”

The man, who did not wish to be named, said he was often asked to go back through CCTV footage after crimes were reported.

He also did live monitoring at high-risk times along with a former police officer based at Kaitaia station.

They had both noticed the man spending his nights at the street corner. He had been there for about three weeks when the controversial post was made.

He did not seem to be hungry — people regularly brought him food — but he had only a blanket against the cold and no shoes.

“My intent was to try to get him help. I don’t have the ability, I don’t know where to start.”
He also acknowledged a wider issue about how the cameras should be used.

“I can see their point that, no, they shouldn’t be used in that way. On the other hand, they are there to provide safety and security for the community — including the man in question. I believe he’s in need of help.”

The Advocate understands police have checked on the man’s well-being at least three times but there is little they can do given he is not breaking the law and the building owner has not made a complaint.

He was reportedly still there on Monday night.

Whangārei has a homeless day shelter, Open Arms, which offers food, showers, support and a place to rest, but there is no such facility in the Bay of Islands.

Nor is homelessness in Paihia confined to one man on a street corner.

A number of people are believed to live in their cars while others live in tents on a reserve in Waitangi. Several backpacker hostels on Kings Rd are used as short-term accommodation.

Paihia’s state-of-the-art CCTV system includes number-plate recognition and covers an area from Wātea to the top of Ōpua Hill.

It was installed late last year by community group Focus Paihia with a $120,000 grant from the Proceeds of Crime Fund, which distributes seized criminal assets to crime-prevention projects.

Its successes include the identification of a man accused of robbing Paihia’s 70-year-old town custodian and his capture by police a few days later.