For Superintendent Scott Gemmell policing in Waikato is about fostering united communities.
Communities where the public have meaningful interactions and trust in Police, and victims are heard and seen.
The 49-year-old superintendent was officially welcomed as the new District Commander for Waikato on 13 February. Beneath the beams and brick of Tainui Group Holdings, which hosted a pōwhiri alongside Tanui leaders to welcome Scott to district, he shared his connection to the region through family, and the manaakitanga that will form the heart of policing in the district.
“I’m excited to be here, it’s a real privilege,” he told those gathered, including Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers, alongside family, friends, Waikato District Leadership Team and other police and community colleagues.
Having relieved in the district for 11 months previously, Scott was thrilled to receive the permanent position – news he received while out for a run in the Hunua Ranges with his teenage daughter.
The father of five comes to Waikato from Auckland, where he has worked across Tāmaki Makaurau Districts in his 23 years with Police. He replaces Superintendent Bruce Bird who held the District Commander role for 10 years.
Scott’s most recent role was as Director of Tāmaki Makaurau Partnerships, which included work with partner agencies, councils, NGOs, Maori, Pacific and Ethnic communities, Events and Operations, Civil Defence Emergencies and cross sector collaboration.
Many threads of this work can be brought into policing in Waikato, he says.
“I want to work towards common regional sector goals, so that our policing brings value across the district.”
At the forefront of his priorities is trust and confidence of the public and meaningful interactions with victims of crime and the community.
Crimes where there is personal harm, where people’s safety is impacted are always a priority, ensuring they are resourced and investigated as quickly as possible, he says. Focusing on giving victims the best service possible is front of mind and can help instil trust and feelings of safety.
“If we focus on really good victim service and ensuring the community has confidence in us, where our victims feel heard and know we are here to assist them, then we can have that trust.”
Scott has always had an affinity for justice. He studied law at Auckland University, during which time he did a placement at the Mangere Police Station, which resolved an earlier desire to join the Police.
“That solidified my passion for policing and at the end of my studies I joined Police, graduating in November 2002 as part of Wing 206.”
Upon graduating Scott learnt his craft in Manurewa where he worked frontline, road policing and custody before joining CIB in 2004.
From there, a decade in specialist squads including Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group before moving to Auckland City as Maori Responsiveness Manager, Operations Manager and Area Prevention Manager.
He then moved to Counties Manukau District as Area Commander for East before taking on programme of work focussed on achieving fairness and equity in police operations, deployment and service.
Now the Waikato – a large sweeping district stretching from the coastal tips of Coromandel through the plains to Hamilton City and south along the wild west coast and through the heartlands of provincial King Country.
It’s a patch not without its challenges, he says, including the perils of distance, the mixture of rural to metropolitan policing, a bustling arterial roading network that links Auckland to the south, and an aging headquarters building – a priority to progress.
“The district has made good progress in reducing ram raids and has an enhanced focus on retail crime.
“I know our staff work tirelessly to keep our roads safe, they deploy where the evidence suggests we have our largest fatalities and serious crashes, and I know our staff feel every serious road crash and death explicitly.”
“I want to see us build steadily to achieving our policing goals.”