2 Mar 2015

Police coming to a kura near you

3:13 pm on 2 March 2015

The police are planning to dispatch fluent Maori speaking officers to Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa and secondary schools in south Auckland.

Inspector Nga-Wati Chaplow said officers want to get closer to Maori at an early age.

"By the use of Te Reo we are starting to touch our Maori youth at the very earliest point in their lives. The presence in itself, which we've never had, is going to make a difference".

Inspector Chaplow, who operates in Counties Manukau, is one of a dozen new senior Maori officers being appointed by police heirachy.

He said the aim of working in schools was to reduce crime through gaining the trust of the people.

So far, 10 Maori inspectors had been picked. The Tasman Disctrict was yet to start the recruitment process for an inspector, and Canterbury was considering who it would appoint.