Only a handful of the newest New Zealand Police recruits will have ever had meaningful interactions with Pacific people by the time they deploy to communities around the motu this month.
That’s why the work our Central Partnerships team has been doing with the Royal New Zealand Police College over the past three years as part of its diversity and inclusion training is so important.
Our Central Partnerships Lead Faalogo Vaai recently joined members of Aotearoa’s diverse communities for the first of the Police College’s 2026 Tuia programme.
The day-long programme lets recruits hear directly from the communities they’ll be serving, helping them to build understanding before they step into frontline roles.
Recruits from Wing 392 moved through small-group sessions where volunteers from Pacific, Mana whenua, gang whānau, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQIA+, elderly, Māori Wardens and neurodiverse communities shared their stories.
“Our role is to speak with the recruits and give them insight into what good engagement with our people looks like and how respectful engagement can shape safer, more inclusive communities for Pacific peoples,” Faalogo says.
“This programme is not just about awareness, it supports recruits to approach their roles with confidence, humility, and respect to build authentic relationships with Pacific communities.”
In the Pacific sessions, he guided recruits through an interactive scenario set in a Samoan family home. He highlighted the importance of tautua (service), fa’aaloalo (respect), gagana (language), aiga (family) and how to build trust with Pacific peoples using practical examples.
“About 90 per cent of the recruits that we engaged with had no experience with the Pacific communities despite being posted to communities with some of the highest Pacific populations in New Zealand,” Faalogo says.
“For us at the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, nurturing these connections with New Zealand Police is vital because it’s programmes like this that strengthen the community’s trust, understanding and partnership with the New Zealand Police.”
