Police and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu have formalised our important 
relationship with the signing of an official partnership agreement.

The agreement, signed at the Tamatea Marae today, formalises our commitment 
to each other and to work collaboratively to build stronger outcomes for our 
Māori communities.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the partnership is an important 
milestone in the Police effort to deliver on the organisation’s objectives 
of Te Huringa o Te Tai strategy, and towards realising aspirations of Māori 
through strong partnerships with iwi.

“It demonstrates the strength of the relationship between Police and 
Māori, particularly in Ōtākou and is a step towards a new model of 
practical partnership,” Commissioner Coster says.

“I am proud to lead a Police service that is committed to partnering with 
iwi and ensuring our work reflects the Treaty principles of partnership, 
participation and protection.

“This step forward together with Ngāi Tahu is a visible, and tangible 
example of this investment, and I am positive this is a building block 
towards achieving aspirations of Māori in the Ōtākou region.

“We know that if we are to achieve our vision of being the safest country 
then we must be successful with and for Māori.”

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Chief Executive Officer Arihia Bennett says Ngāi 
Tahu and the Police already share an important relationship, and this 
partnering agreement builds on that in a proactive and practical way.

“We welcome this partnership as a formalisation of our shared values. As a 
result, Ngāi Tahu will be engaging closely with Police to provide solutions 
to infrastructure needs, in order for police stations to be more community 
facing and to connect more deeply and in more meaningful ways with all 
communities.

“Ngāi Tahu Property is the ideal partner to engage with Police on their 
objectives to improve outcomes for mana whenua as part of Te Huringa o Te Tai 
strategy.”

Work is underway to look at redeveloping the Dunedin Central Police Station 
into a policing hub, to ensure this space better serves the community.

Police is looking to redefine the function of our stations, to ensure they 
build reassurance and trust and confidence within communities, and to make 
sure they provide an accessible way for all our communities to interact with 
Police.

We want our stations to be places of manaakitanga, providing services to the 
community and enabling public safety – a hub that welcomes the community 
in, and a building that is tailored to the unique characteristics of the 
community it serves.

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