Late last month, the trust took matters into their own hands and sat down with the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board to ask them what they could do to help reduce crime.
Simulata Pope has been involved with the To'utupu or Tonga Youth Trust all her life.
Her biggest frustration was with elected officials, who are nowhere to be seen when their young constituents asked for help.
"We vote these community leaders in. We vote all these adults in and the only time we see them are during elections," she said.
