The Police Minister has suggested volunteer wardens could supplement police in central Auckland.

Ginny Andersen says wardens for Maori and other ethnicities could do more patrols.

Former mayoral candidate, Leo Molloy, says it's a dumb idea.

He says crime has progressively reduced in downtown Auckland - and there are more visible police.

"They're around a lot more. You know, they started to listen because people down here- they were rattling the cage. I was rattling the cage through the mayoral campaign."

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