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Policing and Minority Communities pp 235–254Cite as

New Zealand Police Cultural Liaison Officers: Their Role in Crime Prevention and Community Policing

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Abstract

Ethnic Liaison Officers are a part of the Police Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Services, which has staff in each police district, but is managed and coordinated from New Zealand Police National Headquarters. The role of this unit, the advice it gives, and the performance of its Liaison Officers has not been evaluated or examined. This article examines the role of Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Services Liaison Officers, the reasons why these officers choose to enter this specialized area of policing and their understanding of their role. The article begins by describing criminal offending by Maori and then discusses the strategic response of the New Zealand Police to this major social issue. The main strategies used as a response by the police are examined, and the findings of a survey of Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Service officers, which was conducted in early 2016, are presented and discussed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The New Zealand Police are a national police and are structured into 12 geographical districts.

  2. 2.

    Over three-quarters (78%) of Maori are reconvicted within 2 years of their release from prison, a rate around 10% points higher than that for New Zealand European (68%) or Pacific Peoples inmates (66%). At 2 years from release, the reimprisonment rate for Maori is 43%, around 10% higher than New Zealand European (31%) or Pacific Peoples inmates (32%) (Speirs 2002; Nadesu 2009).

  3. 3.

    The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty between the Government (originally British and now the New Zealand) and Maori signed in 1840 that established a British Governor of New Zealand, recognized Māori ownership of their lands, forests and other properties, and gave Māori the rights of British subjects

  4. 4.

    Iwi is an identifiable Maori community and is often a tribe or part of a tribe.

  5. 5.

    The Turning the Tide targets to be achieved by June 2014 were: 15 percent reduction in prosecutions of Maori, 10 percent reduction in Maori repeat offending, a 5 percent reduction in Maori first time offenders, 10 percent reduction in Maori repeat victims and a 10 percent reduction in Maori victims of fatal and serious vehicle crashes. Similar targets are in place for Turning the Tide phase 2, which are to be achieved by June 2018 (New Zealand Police, 2011a, 2011b).

  6. 6.

    Whanau is an extended family or community of related families who live together in the same geographical area.

  7. 7.

    A marae is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies

  8. 8.

    This figure has remained at 77 percent in 2015/16 and 2016/17, but went from 65 percent to 67 percent for Maori over the same period (see New Zealand Police, 2017, p. 36).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Garth den Heyer

Authors
  1. Garth den Heyer
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security, Pace University, New York, NY, USA

    James F. Albrecht

  2. School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Garth den Heyer

  3. Assistant Professor of Policing and Security, Rabdan Academy, Abu Dabi, UAE

    Perry Stanislas

New Zealand Police Cultural Liaison Officers – Survey Questions

New Zealand Police Cultural Liaison Officers – Survey Questions

  1. 1.

    Respondent Current Rank (or retired)

  2. 2.

    First Name of Respondent (to contact for clarification, if required)

  3. 3.

    Current Position Title (or retired)

  4. 4.

    Total Length of Service as a member of New Zealand Police (or Length of Service at Retirement)

  5. 5.

    Length of Service as a Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer

  6. 6.

    Email Address (to contact for clarification, if required)

  7. 7.

    Phone Number (to contact for clarification, if required)

  8. 8.

    Position Title and Rank prior to taking up your role as a Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer

  9. 9.

    Length of Service at the time of your appointment to your first Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer position

  10. 10.

    Location as a Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer

  11. 11.

    Did you transfer to take up your appointment as a Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer? Yes or no

  12. 12.

    What was/were the reason(s) for applying for the role

    1. (a)

      Promotion/advancement, end of career, interested in role, cultural, give back to your specific culture

  13. 13.

    Were you given any training/briefings prior to taking up the role

  14. 14.

    If so, what did the training entail? Culture, language, other

  15. 15.

    If so, was this training adequate?

  16. 16.

    Were you advised/told as to what the role would entail prior to taking up the role – yes or no

  17. 17.

    If yes, what were you advised as to the main purpose(s) of the role – liaison, crime, events/celebrations, Intelligence gathering/sharing, relationship building, community policing, preventative policing

  18. 18.

    During your term as Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer – what did you perceive the principle elements of your role - liaison, crime, events/celebrations, Intelligence gathering/sharing, relationship building, community policing, preventative policing

  19. 19.

    When you needed assistance from PHNQ, did you receive support? Did this support meet your needs?

  20. 20.

    When you needed assistance from District, did you receive support? Did this support meet your needs?

  21. 21.

    Did you supply information/intelligence to PNHQ? Was this CT, Drugs, Immigration, Other Crime, events/celebrations, community policing, preventative policing

  22. 22.

    On an average week, what percentage would you have spent on - - liaison, crime, events/celebrations, Intelligence gathering/sharing, relationship building, community policing, preventative policing

  23. 23.

    On reflection. Did the role meet your expectations – How or why not

  24. 24.

    When you took up your posting did the NZP have relationships with local Maori, Pacific or other ethnic groups? Yes or no

  25. 25.

    If no to Q25, have you since established this relationship?

  26. 26.

    If yes to Q25, were these relationships adequate for you to undertake/complete your role? If not, why were they not adequate?

  27. 27.

    Did you see your role as building and/or improving the NZP relationship with local Maori, Pacific or other ethnic groups? Yes or no?

  28. 28.

    How did you expand your relationship network?

  29. 29.

    Did you find the experience as a Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer rewarding? Personally/for the organization – How have you found it rewarding? why or why not

  30. 30.

    What could be changed to improve the Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer role in the future? For the individual/for the organization

  31. 31.

    Is there any further comment that you would like to make in regard to your Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer role or in regard to the role of Maori, Pacific or Ethnic Liaison Officer?

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den Heyer, G. (2019). New Zealand Police Cultural Liaison Officers: Their Role in Crime Prevention and Community Policing. In: Albrecht, J.F., den Heyer, G., Stanislas, P. (eds) Policing and Minority Communities. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19182-5_14

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