31 Mar 2015

Tokelau aims to build police capacity

2:28 pm on 31 March 2015

Tokelau is looking to change the make up of its police, including having more women officers.

The manager of the country's Apia office, Joe Suveinakama, says judicial officials, the police and the community have been brought together to try and improve co-operation and governance.

He says this action, which will also include training in investigations given by a New Zealand detective, comes after concerns about the quality of policing were raised in the Tokelau community.

"The Tokelau police is quite small and relatively young compared with other police forces in the region. So we are looking at issues about how to address cases that relate to women and children, and we would also like to make sure there are more women present in the police, given the kind of influence and the kind of input they can provide."