Policing in New Zealand

New Zealand Police is the chief law enforcement and policing agency in New Zealand. Established in 1886, on the final disbandment of an armed constabulary, New Zealand Police is notable in that it is one of five routinely-unarmed police forces in the OECD. While research on New Zealand Police is limited, influences from 19th-century British policing remain apparent. Allegiant to the Crown, constabulary members draw their powers from common and codified law. The Commissioner of Police is an unelected statutory appointment made by the Governor-General on the advice of government. Today, NZP has broad policing and regulatory responsibilities, including public safety, order maintenance, criminal investigation and road policing, emergency/disaster response, coronial investigation, firearms regulation, and high policing activities relating to organized crime, national security, and counter-terrorism. While it has been spared the misfortunes of systemic corruption endemic in some neighbouring police forces, it has faced criticism for problems associated with organizational culture.