The New Zealand Police is announcing the commissioning process for the next three areas of research with the aim of ensuring fair and equitable policing for all communities.

The research will involve working alongside communities and frontline police officers to explore who Police stop and speak to and how the Police engage with them, decisions around when and why the use of force is justified as well as decisions around laying charges. This body of work, known as the Understanding Policing Delivery (UPD) programme, was announced by the Police Commissioner Andrew Coster in March 2021 when he appointed the Chair of the Independent Panel Tā Kim Workman.

To ensure that police are delivering a fair and equitable service for all communities, the Independent Panel’s purpose is to identify whether, where, and to what extent, any aspects of bias that affects specific communities exist within the Police’s operating environment.
The first action of the programme was to commission two reviews of existing national and international literature on the subject to identify knowledge gaps and to provide Police with clear and actionable ways to improve outcomes for all communities in the future. These two reviews have informed the Panel’s approach, especially that future research be led by kaupapa Māori methodology along with the need to explore the real-world interactions between police and the members of a range of communities.

Tā Kim Workman said, “Overseas research into perceived Police bias has relied heavily on data alone, without fully engaging with communities and Police officers and their interactions. The Independent Panel brings together a diverse group of academics, researchers, and community leaders, to ensure that this research is conducted differently. We have taken the time to develop an approach which will engage police officers and communities as partners in the research process, rather than as subjects."

Today, the Independent Panel starts the process of commissioning the next three topics of research which will commence in the second half of 2022.

Andrew Coster, Commissioner of Police said, “I’m looking forward to supporting the work of the Independent Panel as they start our active research phase of this work. This work will enable Police to understand how different communities perceive us and clearly identify if there are any changes that we need to make to improve our policies, processes or practices. UPD is a critical part of a range of wider work we are undertaking to make sure our police service is representative of and responsive to all communities – because we know we can only reduce crime and harm in the long term when we work together with communities to do that. Our aim with this work is to give us a strong evidence base to help us make sure we are delivering a policing service that is fair and equitable for all.”

Glenn Wilcox, member of the Independent Māori Statutory Board in Tāmaki Makaurau and of the UPD Independent Panel added in his own words, “The police endeavour to do a good job. That's good! Even so, our research focus is to discuss with people in the community including members of the police to find out, if they are aware of any biased practices and the impact of those practices on the wellbeing of individuals, families, society and our nation. Then Police can work to change those biased practices for the benefit of all the people of New Zealand.”

Associate Professor Khylee Quince, Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu: Dean of the School of Law at Auckland University of Technology and a member of the UPD Independent Panel said, “Some of the past and present policing practices in Aotearoa have contributed to relationships of fear and mistrust amongst some in our communities. These attitudes and experiences have a long-embedded whakapapa that is the culmination of many decades of inequitable policing, whether deliberate or not. Enduring and authentic transformational change will take time to develop and implement if it is to be sustained and built upon consensus. I’ve been encouraged to date by Police’s genuine commitment to this ground-breaking kaupapa.”

Inspector Scott Gemmell is Area Commander for Counties Manukau East and Chair of the Police’s Operational Advisory Group, who work with the Independent Panel and researchers so they can really explore why we do what we do and how we make the decisions we do.

Inspector Gemmell said, “I’m excited to see us take this important step towards our active research phase. Who we stop, when we use force and who we charge are of huge importance to us and to communities. Bias can be a really sensitive topic both for communities and for our staff. We’re determined to front foot this issue – because if it matters to communities, it matters to us.

"We can only keep communities safe if they have the trust that we’re doing the right things in the right way. This work is a huge opportunity to get closer to communities and work with them to reduce the crime and harm they currently experience. That’s why our officers come to work every day, and it’s a goal I know we share with the communities we serve.”

Alongside the launch of the commissioning of the next phase of research, the programme is also releasing the research that has been completed to date along with summary materials.

Tā Kim Workman, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, said, “The UPD research project has got away to a promising start. The Police and the Independent Panel have agreed that if we want fair and equitable policing in Aotearoa, then the way forward is two-fold. First, we will take an evidence-based approach to this research. Second, if we find legislation, practices, policies or processes that are unfair or inequitable, we will work with the Police and communities to understand why it is happening and what we need to do to put it right. I’ve seen too many research reports that end up gathering dust on someone’s bookshelf. I’m not interested in that, any more than I’m interested in name calling and empty rhetoric. When there’s an issue, our intention is that the Police and the Panel will work through what we need to do to improve things and move quickly to make the necessary changes.”

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