Police plan on attending a public meeting in Arataki on Wednesday following rise in complaints of criminal activity.

A new group has emerged on Facebook called ‘Make Arataki Safe Again' after a number of reports of assaults, threats, street fighting and intimidation in the area.

Since it was launched on Friday, more than 1000 people have joined the group and shared their experiences, along with photos and videos of incidents.

Tauranga Police Senior Constable Dennis Bidois says they are aware of a number of disorder-related incidents in the Arataki area recently, and acknowledge that these can be concerning to locals.

'We are aware of who is involved in much of this offending and are working hard to hold those responsible to account.

'However, it's important to note that reports on social media do not always paint an accurate picture of what is happening on the ground.”

Dennis says staff regularly patrol areas of demand to help prevent incidents from occurring and provide community reassurance.

A public meeting will be held on Wednesday night at the Arataki Community Centre so that members of the public can discuss the situation and look at options for resolving it.

Meeting coordinator Diane Bennett wants the meeting to be solution-focused and has also invited representatives from Police, Tauranga City Council, iwi, Bayfair Shopping Centre and Maori wardens.

The ‘Make Arataki Safe Again' meeting will be held at the Arataki Community Centre on Wednesday December 16 at 7pm.

'We are working closely with local iwi and community to help make sure everyone is safe and feels safe, and will be attending the public meeting on Wednesday,” says Dennis.