Two gang-related fights in Dunedin this month, one in the central city, are indicative of gangs doing the same old things rather than a growing gang problem, police say.
The fights between rival gangs Mongrel Mob and Black Power - at Bathgate Park in South Dunedin on October 3 and in George St this week - were symptomatic of ongoing gang tension and not worth giving the gangs publicity over, Detective Sergeant John Hedges, of Dunedin, said.
"I don't think there is a rising gang problem. It's more a case of the same people doing the same sort of things.
"However, there are always underlying tensions and occasionally these come to the surface because of a continual underlying problems. [That] has not increased in last few years."
Police did not think gangs were becoming increasingly "visible" in Dunedin, or that gang members were moving here from other parts of the country.
"Dunedin is like anywhere in the country. People come from all round. [Gang members and associates] are just like any New Zealanders. They travel between regions. It's just they tend to stand out more."
As far as police were aware, the transfer to the Otago Corrections Facility at Milburn, in September, of 24 prisoners from Napier, some of whom were believed to be gang members, had not led to an increased gang presence in the area, Det Sgt Hedges said.
"The presence of these people in prison had nothing to do with recent incidents. They were more tit-for-tat incidents and whether members were patched or not is irrelevant. The main things was police saw them, dealt with them at the time, and all persons were arrested."
