National Recording Standard
Date Published:
June 2026
The information recorded in New Zealand Police systems is critical to the success of Police as an organisation. The information is used in numerous ways, including Intelligence, Tasking and Coordination, Deployment, the production of Official Crime Statistics and in a direct operational context. Police data is also used by other agencies and researchers both within New Zealand and internationally.
Because of this, we have an obligation to record information consistently and reliably. In order to achieve this, those responsible for recording need a clear understanding of what must be recorded, when and how. The National Recording Standard (NRS) is the definitive guide for Police staff on what information must be included in a file. The NRS is updated regularly, and revised versions will be published on this page, along with the change log.
If you would like copies of earlier versions of Police’s National Recording Standard, please email: DataQuality@police.govt.nz.