Five NZ police will act as advisers, no role in investigations

A new policing partnership between Samoa and New Zealand will bring five New Zealand Police advisers to Samoa to help strengthen policing capabilities and improve community safety over the next four years; however, they will not be involved in investigations and operations.

The New Zealand High Commission have clarified that the New Zealand Police staff deployed under the programme will operate strictly in an advisory role and will not exercise operational or investigative authority in Samoa.

The programme, called the Samoa–New Zealand Policing Programme, brings together the Samoa and the New Zealand Police in a four-year plan focused on building skills, leadership, and long-term policing capacity.

It is supported by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was developed at the request of the Government of Samoa.

Under the programme, five New Zealand Police advisers will be based in Samoa. They will work alongside Samoan officers in an advisory role to support training, investigations, leadership, and police systems, said the New Zealand High Commission.