The New Zealand Police Commissioner, Howard Broad, on a three-days visit to Tonga, reaffirmed the NZ Police support, which has provided mentors and advisors to the to the Tonga Police Force development program.

The Police Commissioner said that it was important for him, "to see with my own eyes what the policing advantages are and communicate it back to the people who are in important positions in the New Zealand Government because they need to know what we are doing.

"The NZ Police Force currently has two permanent officers and two part-time officers in the Tonga Police with four NZ coppers to be in Tonga next week under the ongoing assistance.

He said the New Zealand officers, who are experts in various fields, were assigned to areas such as the Domestic Violence Unit, while others will provide advice in the business planning and legislative area supported also by the presence of the Australian Federal Police.

"It is a novelty to be here in Nuku'alofa with a former NZ Police officer and while Chris Kelley has had a distinguished career in the NZ Police Force, he is now the Commander of the Tonga Police and I see myself in a role of sending out the support we can provide," said Commissioner Broad, who pointed out that policing is the same whether in Nuku'alofa or in Auckland, and the experience and expertise they share will be invaluable in both places.

He said that there were some advantages in exposing New Zealand police officers to how policing develops in Tonga "which is quite relevant in New Zealand because they have such a high Pacific Island population particularly in Auckland."

The NZ police officers are also providing advice and offer support to the local force in carrying out basic policing well, which is already evident in regards to the visibility of police on the streets.

The Commissioner said it is also beyond that; it is about taking good complaints from the public and making sure those complaints are dealt with and investigated thoroughly "thus making sure those investigations are of a standard required by the force.

Preventative policing

"It is looking at where the risks might be and where offences might occur and try to work out ways to try prevent them because it is a far more effective form of policing than having to go around and apprehend them and place them before the court," he stressed.

"The assistance we are providing are in those areas and we do not come here and say we have all of the answers because there are problems with policing in New Zealand, just there are here. But as we continue to provide that assistance we know that the sophistication of the Tonga Police Force will continue to grow like our own."

Training

The Commissioner also confirmed the importance of training to develop policing skills.

"We have got a number of police officers here, but really it is the quest and the direction of the Tonga Police Commander, his Deputy Commander and the Tonga Police Force as a whole to target where training should be best applied.

"But we are keen to help here and we are keen to help in the best way that we can."

Tonga Police Commander Chris Kelley agreed and added that with regards to training, the NZ Commissioner had pointed out the same sorts of areas highlighted by the Tongan community, in terms of engagement, police response and making complaints, "those are the areas they should put our focus on.

"We have received very favourable comments from all areas of the community and the society about the presence and engagement of the Tonga Police - particularly in the beach section, the main streets area and in the CBD," said the Commander.

The New Zealand Police's involvement in the development of the Tongan Police Force program is part of the Tripartite Development agreement that was signed by Tonga, Australia and New Zealand.

Commissioner Broad is the 30th and current New Zealand Commissioner of Police, appointed in 2006. This is his second visit to Tonga; his first visit was in November 2006 when they responded to the riots in Nuku'alofa.