Training package addresses sudden death

Palmerston North Police Māori Advisory Group – Korowai Kahui or ‘Spiritual Cloak’ – has developed a tikanga Māori training package to help police staff deal with Māori sudden death.

Māori Liaison Officer, Senior Sergeant Gordon Rongonui, says all Central District frontline and some nonsworn staff have been trained in the protocols. He has also been invited to train CIB staff and some recruits at the College.

“I’m starting to go around again re-training and picking up on new staff or those who have transferred into the district.”

The training package was put together by Korowai Kahui members who represent Palmerston North Iwi – Rangitāne, Kahungunu Raukawa, Āti Haunui A Paparangi, Ngapuhi and Te Arawa. Police staff also had input to the package.

A recent triple-fatal crash in Opiki, involving Māori children, brought the value of the training home to Gordon.

“I was talking to one of the police and she said ‘you came down to the College and trained us in this and now we’ve seen it at its best’.”

As on previous occasions, police interaction with the family extended beyond the immediacy of the sudden deaths.

“Once you start working with families at a time of grieving they want you to keep on going. They asked if we’d go to their church service and to help take the kids back home to Kāwhia, Hamilton. It’s just the rapport we build up.”

On hearing about the training package OSH has asked Korowai Kahui to deliver the training to its own staff from Whangārei to Invercargill.