20 Oct 2011

Police praise marae based crime and justice centre

10:01 pm on 20 October 2011

Police are praising Ngai Tahu for the use of a marae as a one-stop crime and justice shop, as Christchurch continues to recover from the earthquake.

Officers, Maori Wardens, courts, Child, Youth and Family, and probation services are based at Nga Hau e Wha National Marae in the eastern suburbs - while some of their own buildings are damaged.

Inspector Doug Parker says running courts at a marae has a toning down effect on people and not just the accused.

He says there's a lot more respect from all people who go onto the marae, even for people carrying out court functions and there's not so much argy-bargy or disorder.

The acting policing development manager for the Canterbury district also says the marae is also a good place for officers to work as anger and angst is often left at the entrance.