Police are welcoming the findings of an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) review of policing in small communities released today.
The IPCA report makes a number of recommendations into how Police might be able to improve the service they provide in rural areas and small communities.
Deputy Commissioner Glenn Dunbier says responses to many of the recommendations are already being developed as part of an internal review into rural policing during the past seven months.
"We have undertaken a thorough look at the different challenges and opportunities our people face in policing rural areas of New Zealand, and how we can help support them to better serve their communities," Deputy Commissioner Dunbier says.
"Police in rural communities will experience many different challenges to their urban counterparts, such as the size of the areas they serve and various logistical and technology barriers. Our rural Police staff take as much pride in providing an excellent service to their communities, as our staff do in urban environments.
"To help them deliver the best service to their communities, we have taken a look at defining what successful policing in the rural context looks like, any current barriers to achieving that success, and what improvements we should make to our rural policing."
It is expected that specific recommendations will be finalised later this year.
