Hundreds of Napier residents have signed an online petition calling for the Police Eagle helicopter to stay hovering above Hawke's Bay.
The helicopter was deployed in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle to reassure residents, following reports of looting and opportunistic crime.
But Napier resident Jules Cunningham says locals have been worried about crime long before the storm, since the police force was centralised to Hastings about a decade ago.
The petition calling for the police chopper to keep monitoring Hawke's Bay from above has already amassed more than 700 signatures since Jules Cunningham set it up yesterday afternoon.
She says locals have already noticed a difference in the last few weeks.
And while choppers aren't cheap, Jules Cunningham says there's no price on the cost of even one injured person ending up in hospital.
She says the money should come from the Police budget.
Jules Cunningham says she would like to see signature numbers reach the thousands, but says the petition is already helping to form a collective voice for the community.
Residents already on edge are hoping an eye on crime is one less thing to worry about.
