The New Zealand Police says that its community police training-the-trainers in Indonesia's Papua region is making a positive impact.
New Zealand Police is the first foreign force to be invited into Papua and West Papua provinces to undertake this mode of practical training.
This follows an Indonesian decree that community policing must be adopted by its force.
The Senior New Zealand Police Liaison Officer based in Jakarta, Tim Haughey, says that, significantly, their training workshops for the Indonesian National Police have involved the community.
"Probably a first for many of the trainees, that they had actually sat down with members of the community and talked about problems in the community, things that worried them. And the feedback we got from the community was overwhelming support. They really welcomed the opportunity to talk to police in a non-threatening and collaborative fashion."
Tim Haughey
