Police Commissioner Howard Broad says he is proud and delighted for police staff recognised as part of the New Zealand Community Safety and Injury Prevention Awards.
The awards were presented this evening in Wellington as part of ACC Safety New Zealand Week and police were recognised in three separate awards. The awards recognise, reward and promote best-practice community-based injury prevention and safety promotion in New Zealand.
North Shore Police were part of a partnership between three agencies awarded 'highly commended' for their approach to preventing family violence on the North Shore. The North Shore Police, the Safer Families Foundation and Child, Youth and Family have created a best practice integrated approach to preventing family violence. The proactive collaboration was in response to brutal murder of North Shore Mother-of-six Cheryl Pareanga killed by her partner in 2004.
Henderson Police Constable Fagaesea Siaki, took the top place in the 'Emerging community safety and/or prevention initiative or programme' category of the awards for his innovative road safety programme, Ola Fa'asaoina which came about after members of his church were getting parking tickets while at church. Constable Siaki worked with the church and the local council to develop solutions and the programme has grown to embrace a whole range of road safety issues.
Rangiora Police were recognised for their part in the "Bogan Car" - a modified Mitsubishi used to teach young people about dangerous car modifications. The modified car was created after the death of a local 16-year-old boy, whose illegally modified car spun out of control and crashed into an oncoming truck.
The car is the brainchild of Rangiora police and the Waimakariri District Council and led to the Waimakariri District Council being "highly commended" in the awards.
Mr Broad said the staff involved in the three initiatives were a credit to NZ Police and they should be very proud of their work."
"These police have all been affected in some way by an incident in their patch - a brutal murder, a road death and even simply a parking ticket - and have chosen to come up with creative, effective solutions to make their communities a safer, better place to be," Mr Broad said.