This week for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Counties-Manukau police will be out and about in a newly-designed car featuring koru to support the revitalisation of te reo Māori. The koru design represents their objective to achieve better outcomes by working in partnership with iwi.
The theme of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori this year is Kia ora Te Reo Māori (let the Māori Language live).
Police Commissioner Mike Bush says they wanted to do something visible to show their support for te reo Māori and highlight their commitment to recruiting more Māori for the police force.
"Being able to speak more than one language is a valuable skill as a Police officer. If you care enough to be a cop and want to make a difference in our communities, nau mai, haere mai ki te tuhonutanga ō nga whānau pirihimana."
Assistant Commissioner Wally Haumaha, Deputy Chief Executive Māori, says their aim is to enhance the use of te reo Māori right across the organisation.
"The more we can do to effectively communicate the better, and there are a number of instances where having an officer able to speak Te Reo and understand tikanga has really been advantageous in resolving situations."
The Māori Language Commission organises Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.
Police encourage anyone interested in a career with Ngā Pirihimana to visit newcops.co.nz