2 February 2004
Carter congratulates Police on ethnic peoples' strategy
Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter today congratulated the NZ Police on becoming the first government agency to
develop and launch a formal strategy for improving the way it works with New Zealand's ethnic communities.
The strategy, developed after consultation with ethnic groups, identifies a host of priorities for action including the
development of resources and operational toolkits for frontline officers dealing with ethnic communities, improved
research on the best ways of policing in ethnic communities, and better information sharing between Police and ethnic
community leaders.
"This strategy is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the Police. It follows a Cabinet direction that ten
government agencies, including the Police, prepare strategies to enhance their understanding of and work with New
Zealand's increasingly diverse ethnic groups," Mr Carter said.
"The government believes that to serve and help the community, a government agency must first know the community, and
this is particularly true of the Police," Mr Carter said.
"Ethnic communities need to feel they can approach the Police, and be understood. They should be actively encouraged to
report crime and victimisation. Similarly, the statistics and research that underpin policing must reflect the existence
of ethnic communities, and the different needs they have and challenges they pose.
"The strategy launched today is an important step in that direction," Mr Carter said.
"I want to congratulate the Police on their efforts, and I look forward to ethnic communities supporting police officers
everywhere as they move to put the new strategy into action."
ENDS