New Zealand Police Core Values

Integrity

Definition:

All Police members are committed and loyal to the vision, values and goals of the organisation. They inspire trust and behave honestly and ethically.

Desirable Behaviours

  • Communicates openly and truthfully with discretion
  • Remains impartial and polite in all interactions
  • Challenges unethical or unprofessional behaviour
  • Maintains confidentiality with discretion
  • Respects confidences

Undesirable Behaviours

  • "Turns blind eye" to unethical or unprofessional behaviour
  • Knowingly makes promises that cannot be kept
  • Avoids personal responsibility
  • Blames others for mistakes
  • Deliberately misleads
  • Uses Police position for gain
  • Considers some tasks beneath them regardless of impact on service levels

Professionalism

Definition:

All Police members are aware of the impact of their behaviour at all times. They maintain self-control, are resilient and present a professional image. They uphold the rule of law and maintain the guidelines, standards, policies and procedures set by the organisation.

Desirable Behaviours

  • Remains objective
  • Able to work through and recover from setback or disappointment without affecting performance
  • Controls emotions that may negatively affect performance or interpersonal relationships
  • Seeks, accepts and gives feedback constructively
  • Effectively manages conflict
  • Adheres to correct policies and procedures
  • Maintains political neutrality in public regardless of personal political beliefs
  • Maintains high standard of personal appearance

Undesirable Behaviours

  • Easily provoked to inappropriate behaviour
  • Reacts defensively or with hostility when given constructive feedback
  • Makes inappropriate or unauthorised public comments about the Police or other stakeholders
  • Deliberately ignores policies and procedures
  • Allows emotions to show inappropriately when communicating
  • Undermines colleagues, individuals and teams
  • Uses Police connection as a platform for expressing personal views and opinions

Respect

Definition:

All Police members understand that their role is to acknowledge and respond to our diverse society and to serve all people with dignity. In doing so they recognise the rights, values and freedoms of all people.

Desirable Behaviours

  • Treats all people in a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory manner
  • Listens to and respects the point of view of other cultures
  • Listens to and respects the views and values of the community
  • Open and sensitive to cultural needs
  • Shows consideration of diversity
  • Takes account of the community and stakeholder views and values in decision-making
  • Adapts communication style in line with needs of the community
  • Positively responds to the contribution of all members of Police

Undesirable Behaviours

  • Judges others and bases opinions upon stereotypes
  • Reluctant to or fails to relate to people from other backgrounds
  • Intolerant or dismissive of other cultures or of diversity
  • Talks down to people
  • Behaves in a manner that alienates or offends others
  • Expects the community to adapt to Police
  • Describes segments of community in a negative or derogatory way

Commitment to Maori and Treaty

Definition:

New Zealand Police are committed to being responsive to Maori as tangata whenua, recognising the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand's founding document. By working with Maori New Zealand Police will enhance safety and security.

Desirable Behaviours

  • Establishes contacts in Maori community appropriate for role
  • Understands sensitivities that arise from Tikanga when dealing with Maori
  • Able to discuss ToW issues and provide perspective within a policing context
  • Encourages others to understand ToW
  • Seeks advice from Kaitakawaenga in sensitive, complex situations involving Maori
  • Acquires and uses Te Reo Maori in conversation and where appropriate in documents

Undesirable Behaviours

  • Describes Maori in a negative or derogatory way
  • Ascribes negative descriptors to Maori
  • Avoids participation in meetings or events on Maori issues as they relate to Police