Police and communities mark holy month

Police staff joined with Muslim communities around the country to mark the holy month of Ramadan and the festival of Eid which follows it.

Ramadan – one of the Five Pillars of Islam - is a month of fasting during which believers do not eat during daylight hours and includes the increased offering of prayers and recitation of the Quran. Eid is the celebration to mark the end of the month.

In Christchurch, Police donated a sheep for a Ramadan Iftar dinner – a communal gathering at sunset during Ramadan - which was attended by around 80 people at the Deans Avenue Mosque.

Canterbury ethnic liaison officer Constable Phil Goto says during the Ramadan fast the evening meal takes on great significance and Police’s gesture had been very well received.

“Besides breaking down barriers it gives the community more trust in Police,” says Phil.

“A good example was when somebody who came to media attention after committing an assault came and thanked me for what the police had done, and said how he had turned his life around.”

In Auckland around 7000 Muslims gathered at Eden Park to celebrate Eid this week.

Auckland City Pacific liaison officers Acting Senior Sergeant Joe Aumua and Constable Sotiaka Roma (pictured) took cultural exchange to new heights during the celebration when approached for a photograph by two Saudi students.

Auckland City ethnic liaison officer Constable Rob Stanton says the Police recruitment stall at Eden Park attracted a lot of interest, notably from Muslim women who were pleased to hear the Royal New Zealand Police College catered for dietary requirements, and that police uniforms could take account of cultural needs.

In Wellington, Police was represented at a national Eid celebration organised by the Office of Ethnic Affairs at Parliament.

In the 2013 census, 46,149 people affiliated with the Muslim religion – a 27.9 percent increase since 2006. More than a quarter (25.7 percent) were born in New Zealand, second to the 26.9 percent born in Asia.

Click here for more information about Ramadan, and here to read Police’s reference guide to religious diversity.