More schools are likely to seek help from security firms after a mass brawl between two rivals schools in Hastings this week.
Two police officers were assaulted with one being hospitalised after his tooth was pushed through his cheek during a violent confrontation between pupils from Hastings Boys High School and Flaxmere College on Tuesday that reportedly involved up to 200 people.
Thirty officers and 10 patrol cars took an hour to break up the fight and clear onlookers.
Police and the security industry have said cellphones and internet technology were big factors in attracting mass groups to such incidents.
New Zealand Security Association executive director Barrie Cooper said yesterday he expected more schools would hire guards after the Hastings incident.
"It makes other schools a bit wary and they want to make sure it doesn't happen in their schools," he told The New Zealand Herald.
Mr Cooper said he did not have figures on how many schools were using security guards but anecdotal evidence from the 160 companies he represented suggested it was on the rise.
"Certainly, they are doing it and I think we'll see more and more of it ... There are companies that are on static guard duty at schools because of concerns of violence and safety of children -- it's not just children, it's the teachers as well."
Senior Sergeant Mike Fulcher, community services manager for Counties Manukau police, said the Cops in Schools programme that began this year and placed five police officers on site in 10 schools was progressing well.
"By having these cops in schools, we've been able to head off a lot of trouble because we've been able to get on to it a lot quicker."
Mr Fulcher said fights in schools often involved "minimal" people actually fighting but many others watching.
Hastings police believe Tuesday's fight had been organised, possibly by text message.
Acting Senior Sergeant Cory Ubels said the brawl could have been sparked from an earlier conflict between the two schools on Monday.
"A large number of police officers were called in from around the area in order to control the students and bring the situation under control,' he said.
"It's taken a lot of resources for a bunch of idiots who took the law into their own hands to deal with an incident that happened the day before. It's a waste of police time and a waste of police resources.'
Hastings Boys' High School principal Robert Sturch told Hawke's Bay Today there was some "ill-feeling" between students from both schools but this was the first time the situation had led to violence.
The day before, a bus with some of his students on board had its window broken by a chain thrown from the direction of the other school.
A 14-year-old boy appeared in Hastings Youth Court today charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly behaviour.
He was remanded on bail until October 21 without plea.
Six other pupils aged between 13 and 15 were arrested and charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, including a 13-year-old boy found in possession of a chain.
