New Zealand Police is taking all appropriate security steps to ensure the safety of HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, while he is in New Zealand.

Superintendent Rob Pope, Wellington Police District Commander and national commander of the police operation in place for the five-day visit, says the police approach is geared to meet the needs of Prince Charles and the public.

His Royal Highness arrives in Dunedin tomorrow evening, Saturday 5 March. His public engagements include a church service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday morning and a visit to the Royal Albatross colony at Taiaroa Head. On Monday, 7 March, he will visit a Central Otago sheep station before flying to Wellington late in the afternoon.

Public engagements in the Capital include a welcome at Government House, a wreath laying ceremony at the National War Memorial on Tuesday morning, the launch of an urban design protocol at the City Gallery and a visit to Te Omanga Hospice before flying to Auckland on Wednesday morning.

His Auckland engagements include functions for the Prince’s Trust, visits to the Auckland War Memorial, a formal Government reception and on Thursday visits to a local primary school and the opening of a children’s garden in Auckland's Botanic Gardens before his departure from Auckland International Airport.

"This is a relatively low-key Royal visit but the visit’s duration and limited public engagements do not detract from the thoroughness of our planning," Superintendent Pope says. "I am not prepared to comment on specific security details except to say we are involving significant numbers of staff in the Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland phases.

"General Duties, CIB and Road Policing staff will all be involved, supported by a range of specialist units."

Superintendent Pope says police planners have taken into account a range of factors including the Prince’s pending marriage, the global security situation, and previous incidents during Royal tours to New Zealand.

"Our role is to ensure the safety of Prince Charles, his entourage and the public," Superintendent Pope says. "We’ll be doing our utmost to ensure the visit runs smoothly and safely for everyone."

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