"Pacific Police officers band together to prevent family violence

Pacific Police forces will this week tap into New Zealand’s domestic violence tactics in a bid to tackle family violence.

Twelve police officers from eleven different countries will spend a week in Counties Manukau District taking part in the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme.

The programme, which is part of the New Zealand Police International Programme, aims to show the participant’s what Counties Manukau District is doing to prevent family violence.

The visiting officers will shadow the District’s Police Officers, seeing how our staff deal with domestic violence incidents.

They’ll also learn about case management, attend a New Zealand Family Violence Court, targeting of high risk families and developing a focus on preventing further harm.

Representatives will be coming from countries including Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands and all those attending are heads of their domestic or family violence units.

Manager of Maori and Pacific Ethnic Services at Counties Manukau District Inspector Nga-Wati Chaplow says, “It may be controversial to highlight family violence in the pacific, but it has one of the highest rates in the world and we need to talk about it.”

“This programme has a long term vision of achieving a safer Pacific, free from domestic violence. A key component of the work with the Pacific Police services is to ensure that their response to family violence is managed in a coordinated way with both government and non-government agencies. This ensures a consistent approach and an effective use of resources, while also applying a strong gender and human rights focus to the work of Police.”

The programme supports the aims of Pacific Islands Forum leaders who last year endorsed an accord which means culture, tradition and religion can never be used to justify abuse.

The PPDVP is a partnership between the Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pacific Island Chiefs of Police (PICP).

It runs from the 15th until the 22nd of June.

For more information visit: www.ppdvp.org.nz

ENDS

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