"Southern District Police celebrate 125 years of Women's Suffrage"

Southern District Police will be out in the community celebrating 125 years of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand tomorrow, September 19.

An invite has been extended to emergency services and partner agencies to join events initiated by local women in Police.

In 2015, New Zealand Police celebrated 75 Years of Women in Police - and to mark the 125th anniversary of Women's Suffrage this year is just as significant.

In Dunedin, officers will be conducting a road checkpoint in the city from 9am to reward safe driver behaviour.

Following that, staff will be out in the community to visiting a local hospice, rest home, Age Concern, Women’s Refuge, meeting with former refugees, and visiting the oldest girls' state-run secondary school in the Southern Hemisphere, Otago Girls’ High School.

To capture the significance of the day there will be a group photo outside the Town Hall.

This location is important to the suffrage movement in that it was where suffragist Marion Hatton chaired a huge and enthusiastic meeting in 1892, contributing to the 57 per cent of signatures on the petition presented by Kate Sheppard and her followers.

Fire and Emergency NZ, St John Ambulance, Victim Support, Women’s Refuge, Oranga Tamariki, Probation Services, Dunedin City Councillor Rachel Elder, Maori Wardens, Police chaplain Rev.

Carol Grant, and Otago University lecturer Dr Jane Adams have been invited to attend.

"It's important to recognise a landmark day in New Zealand's history, particularly as we were the first in the world to take the great step of equality for women," says Constable Adelle Williams of Dunedin Police.

“It’s about taking a moment to think about what we want the future of Police to look like, and further acknowledge our purpose to have our community be safe and feel safe.
New Zealand Police is continually working towards a diverse workforce to better reflect the communities we serve.”

Other Southern towns are also holding events open to the public.

Police in Invercargill are hosting "Coffee with a Cop" at the Industry Café on Arena Ave from 10am till 11am, and Police in Gore are doing the same at the Thomas Green, corner of Hokonui Drive and Medway Street.

Balclutha will be showing a presence around Rosebank Kindergarten, Rosebank Primary School and South Otago High School from 8:15am. They are also inviting the community to have coffee and morning tea with emergency services at the Living Wall, corner of Clyde and Elizabeth Streets.

Oamaru Police will be hosting their own internal celebrations and are entering the Victorian Heritage Committee competition.

Southern District Police will be recording the day via social media channels.

ENDS

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