New Zealand

The New Zealand Police is the country's lead agency responsible for reducing crime and enhancing community safety.

It provides policing services 24 hours a day and operates from more than 400 community-based police stations around the country. The New Zealand Police operates by land, sea and air and – with more than 11,000 staff – responds to more than 600,000 emergency calls each year.

The Commissioner of Police is appointed by the Governor General and is accountable to the Minister of Police for the administration of police services, whilst acting independently in carrying out law enforcement decisions.

Nationally, the New Zealand Police has 12 Districts, which are administered from the Police national headquarters in Wellington. A number of national service centres provide administrative and specialized support nationwide.

The functions of the New Zealand Police include:

• Keeping the peace;
• Maintaining public safety;
• Law enforcement;
• Crime prevention;
• Community support and reassurance;
• National security;
• Participation in policing activities outside New Zealand;
• Emergency management.

INTERPOL Wellington

INTERPOL Wellington is located at the New Zealand Police national headquarters, and sits structurally within the National Criminal Investigations Group. The Commissioner of Police is the Head of NCB, although the day to day running of the NCB is delegated to the Head of NCB. 

Mandate

To provide a conduit enabling the exchange of information and the provision of investigative assistance between the New Zealand Police and law enforcement agencies in INTERPOL member countries.

Services provided

• Assistance to investigators requiring international enquiries;
• Next-of-kin notification (deaths and humanitarian assistance) for New Zealand citizens abroad and for foreign nationals in New Zealand;
• Providing access to New Zealand Customs Border information, including the placing of monitoring and arrest alerts and querying the movement of passengers across the New Zealand border;
• Obtaining criminal history checks from and for law enforcement agencies in INTERPOL member countries;   
• Coordination and assistance in relation to extraditions both to and from New Zealand;
• Administrative assistance for enquiries generated by New Zealand Police liaison officers based overseas;
• Mutual assistance pursuant to the New Zealand Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act.

Staffing

• Head of NCB;
• Three Senior Investigators (Detective Sergeant rank);
• Three administrative support staff.

INTERPOL Wellington also administers the New Zealand Police National Missing Persons Unit (MPU), which is staffed by a Detective Sergeant and an administrative support officer.