Three senior members of Police staff are today honoured for their services to
New Zealand Police and the community.

Mr Bruce Russell, a former Detective Senior Sergeant and now non-constabulary
specialist investigator from the Bay of Plenty District, is made an Officer
of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).

Sergeant Wally Kopae, from Southern District, is made a Member of the New
Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

Both were nominated for honours by Police.

A community nomination sees Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo, from Police
National Headquarters, made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
for services to the New Zealand Police and ethnic communities.

Full citations below:

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) Mr Bruce Ronald Russell
For services to the New Zealand Police and the community 
 

Mr Bruce Russell, Tauranga, joined the New Zealand Police in the early 1970s
and has spent 47 years working in the Criminal Investigation Branch,
conducting investigations across the spectrum of criminal offending.

In Hamilton in 1988, Mr Russell established the first child abuse/child
sexual abuse investigation unit in the Waikato, building strong relationships
with partner agencies. He established the first Waikato-based Proceeds of
Crime Unit in New Zealand under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1992, leading
ground-breaking investigation methodology and developing and delivering
training to Police in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Since 2009 he has since been a non-sworn Specialist Investigator, currently
with the Tauranga-based unit of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU). He has been a
‘go-to’ leader for serious and organised financial crime matters in the
Waikato and Bay of Plenty Police Districts, leading numerous successful
operations tracking the proceeds of crime.

Since 2009, he has been officer-in-charge of restraining property pursuant to
the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 with a value totalling more than
$48 million. He was engaged by a joint Commonwealth Secretariat/United
Nations initiative in a role across the Pacific Islands and later in the
United Nations, involved in capacity building in financial crime
investigations, the proceeds of crime and anti-money laundering from 2002 to
2006. Mr Russell developed and delivered training in developing countries
globally.

Bruce says he was honoured to receive the award but wondered whether he
should get it for “just doing my job”.

“It’s not about me,” he says. “For me, it’s about all the people
I’ve worked with who have made it possible for all these things to happen.

“Over the years I’ve had some fantastic bosses who have given me the
liberty to follow my instincts. I’ll be forever grateful to them – those
people know who they are.”

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
Sergeant Walter Wallace (Wally) Kopae (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti
Pūkeko, Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Whānau Ā Apanui)
For services to the New Zealand Police and the community

Sergeant Wally Kopae (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāi te
Rangi, Te Whānau ā Apanui) joined New Zealand Police in 1987 and from 1989
served with the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) for more than 30 years, based in
Southland.

Sergeant Kopae has been a counsel for AOS leaders as well as Police canine
training and development nationally. He is supervisor of the
Invercargill/Southland Police Dog Section. He is one of six certifiers who
evaluate dogs and handlers for deployment around the country and is on the
National Working Group for the New Zealand Police Dog Section, setting policy
and training initiatives.

He has trained dogs and handlers in specialist areas such as Search and
Rescue and, outside of Police, in noxious weed detection. He has been
deployed for international operations, including assisting the Solomon
Islands Police Service from 2002 to 2003 and mentoring Afghan police trainers
in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan in 2005. He is currently developing police
patrol dog capability while deployed in Fiji.

He is well regarded for implementing a Te Ao Māori view within his policing,
building relationships and connecting with whanaungatanga and use of Te Reo
Māori to de-escalate situations.

Sergeant Kopae has been involved with cycling in Southland for 15 years as a
competitor, managing Southland Road races, coaching the Police corporate
pursuit team, and providing road safety support for the Westpac Chopper
Appeal ride from Queenstown to Invercargill.

He says he is extremely humbled to receive royal recognition.

“Clearly a number of people have got together to make this nomination, and
I accept it on behalf of Dog Section, Police and my family,” he says.

“I’m mindful that there are many people in our organisation who are just
as deserving or probably more deserving – I could name them off the top of
my head – but I’m very appreciative of this award.

“It’s my job and I love doing it.”

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
Superintendent Rakesh Sharanund Naidoo
For services to the New Zealand Police and ethnic communities

Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo has been employed with the New Zealand Police
for 21 years and has enhanced relationships between the Police and diverse
communities.

In 2014, Superintendent Naidoo presented data on family harm highlighting the
state of abuse in New Zealand; one in three women are abused, one in six boys
are abused and in 2013 four out of fourteen women killed were of Indian
descent.

He collaborated and supported the establishment of the organisation Gandhi
Nivas to support clients in early intervention programmes to seek help.

He co-established an Advisory Board in collaboration with Massey University,
which informed the need for holistic facilities for clients. There are
currently three homes that provide holistic support to clients within the
Tamaki Makaurau region, who have been served with a Police Safety Order.

He has supported the establishment of further services within other regions
to help with family harm. Within the Police, he helped establish the
organisation’s first five-year Ethnic Strategy and sits on several advisory
panels and boards to support diverse communities.

Superintendent Naidoo has been the National Partnerships Manager – Ethnic
within New Zealand Police since 2021, leading initiatives including
involvement with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch
Terrorist Attack.

“New Zealand Police is only as strong as its partnership with communities.
I am forever grateful for the dedicated, selfless colleagues and community
representatives that I have the privilege to serve with. Your collective
efforts have helped us build trust and confidence and care for our
communities. It is these communities and colleagues, past and present, that I
stand alongside and on the shoulders of, to receive this generous
recognition.”

Commissioner Andrew Coster congratulated all the award winners.

“These outstanding officers represent the best in investigative,
operational and community policing,” he said.

“They are humble about their achievements but have all made huge
contributions, making a real difference for New Zealanders and providing
inspiration for their colleagues to be their best.

“It’s fantastic to see them formally honoured at the highest level. I
know all their colleagues will join me in congratulating them on this
well-deserved recognition. We can all be very proud of their achievements.”

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