Superintendent Chris de Wattignar joined New Zealand Police in 1999 and has worked mainly in Auckland - in particular South Auckland. He even led a renewed initiative – instigating a pilot programme to train a police recruit wing in Auckland for the first time in over 40 years, which Police continues to do today.
He’s been seconded to Police National Headquarters, worked overseas with the UN, and relieved in sunny Nelson Bays.
Superintendent de Wattignar has worked front line on general duties, criminal investigation branch on serious crime squads and child abuse teams. He’s also worked road policing, intelligence and recruit training.
“In the past I have relieved in leadership roles at Otahuhu, Ormiston, Manurewa, Central District and and has been a strategic advisor and a prevention manager.
Between 2014 and 2017 I held a permanent Area Commander position at Counties Manukau South, leading 200 staff in delivering policing services from Takanini to Mercer,” he says.
Chris took a year out of Police on a New Zealand Government secondment overseas with the United Nations, investigating war crimes in Syria. “I spent nine months as a senior investigator with the United Nations, investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria,” he says. Chris holds a Master’s degree in International Security.
Since his return to Police in 2018, he has worked on a number of initiatives within Police.
“In November 2018, I began a secondment as District Commander in the Central District. I now have 800 staff in policing services on behalf of 365,000 citizens across a very large geographical area. This includes the provinces of Taranaki, Whanganui, Ruapehu, Manawatü, Horowhenua and Tararua, he says”. Obviously I am keen to continue with our aim of providing an efficient police service that’s based on results. I firmly believe in a proactive approach to crime and crash prevention which in the end helps reduce offending and victimisation, creating a happier, safer community, he says.
“I was permanently appointed to the District Commander role in Central District in August 2019, and I am very much looking forward to meeting the community I will be serving. I am based in Palmerston North, but will spend time in the wider Central area while on duty and off duty too.
Outside of Police, Chris has held governance roles with Genesis Youth Development Trust and his local kohanga reo.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
