International Service Demands

Key Issue - Increasing requests for NZ Police offshore engagements

Government is committed to combat terrorism and to strengthen post-conflict capacity in a number of parts of the world. Whereas the defence force has traditionally been the primary focus for deployment in these roles, attention has increasingly turned to using civilian police, recognising the need for a stable law and order environment for the achievement of other civil infrastructure development, including aid delivery.

Investment in strengthening police capability through police's International Services Group to manage these requests will assist more effective responses to regional security operations when deemed desirable by government, as in Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, and Afghanistan.

The United Nations is increasingly seeking civilian police contributions from New Zealand for its missions because of the professional and community focused style and skill NZ Police add to such deployments. The regional assistance mission in the Solomon Islands is considered a model internationally demonstrating how countries can work together in a near-failed state to establish a basis on which recovery can be effected.

Over the next 3 - 12 months we will be asking the Minister to support proposals and consider increasing police baseline funding for enhancements to the International Services Group capability to respond to government initiatives to support off-shore requests for police services and capability building efforts.