The New Zealand Police

By international standards, New Zealand is a remarkably safe and law-abiding country.

The police here have an excellent reputation and are generally considered helpful and friendly. Cases of police corruption are exceedingly rare, and New Zealand police officers are well respected and trusted by the community.

The New Zealand Police enforce both criminal and traffic laws, and take part in search and rescue missions. They do not routinely carry firearms, which is a reflection of the relatively safe society in New Zealand.

Most crime in New Zealand is in the dishonesty category – burglary and car theft – and the Police solve a comparatively high number of all crimes.

Dealing with the Police

In New Zealand, dealing with the Police is straightforward. The public has clear rights and obligations, and the Police must follow clear rules. They may not act arbitrarily.

In general, the rules for the public being stopped or questioned by the Police are similar to those in other western countries, such as the UK.  This means:

• Police can’t search your property without your consent or a search warrant
• You do not have to accompany Police unless you agree to or are arrested
• You do not have to answer questions or make a statement unless you have been arrested.
• You have the right to consult a lawyer without delay and in private.

However, there are obligations on the public, and these mean:

• You must stop if asked by the Police
• You must give your name and address, and show your driver’s licence if you’re driving.

Crime prevention

As well as enforcing laws and solving crime, the New Zealand Police are actively involved in crime prevention initiatives. These include Youth Education and Youth Aid services, as well as Neighbourhood Support.

Neighbourhood Support is a community-based programme promoted by the Police which encourages people to take standard precautions and keeping an eye on neighbourhood properties and reporting anything suspicious.

Most communities have Neighbourhood Support groups and you can ask about these when moving into a new home as they are good way of getting to know your neighbours.

Contacting the Police

In an emergency:

Call 111

For non-emergency assistance:

Contact the local police station. Details of local police stations can be found at:
www.police.govt.nz or specifically www.police.govt.nz/district/phonebook.html.

For Neighbourhood Support

See www.nz.org.nz