Tuesday 26th August 2008
Problems with youths and alcohol are a national issue and the Devonport naval base says they are doing something to resolve issues for their young sailors.
"We’d like to see other organisations with huge numbers of youths doing something similar," says Captain Dean McDougall, commanding officer for the HMNZS Philomel.
With a team of social workers, doctors, naval police and educators working with the North Shore police, today’s navy has little tolerance for badly behaved sailors.
The latest initiative in their multi-pronged approach is the kia kaha ethics training course run jointly with North Shore police.
Forty-three new recruits came to the North Shore Policing Centre on August 12 to hear from North Shore area commander inspector Les Paterson and former All Black Buck Shelford about being aware of your environment and making the right choices.
They were also shown the police cells.
Mr Paterson says the police are doing their part to help prepare the young people who arrive in North Shore city from around New Zealand.
Naval ratings have made headlines this year after the alleged rape of a woman at the Devonport naval base.