The recovery operation at the Pike River Coal mine may eventually be handed from police to another Government department, the head of the police operation says.
Twenty-nine men died in a series of explosions at the West Coast mine last month, and work to make the mine safe for the recovery their bodies is continuing.
Superintendent Gary Knowles told Morning Report the operation will not be handed over to the receivers, but may be passed to another Government agency.
Though it has been a costly operation, he says, police want to complete their part and are focused on returning the miners to their families.
