Na tou rourou
Na toku rourou
Ka ora te te iwi

With your assistance, combined with my mine, we will create a safer community

Māori Wardens are offering a superb but largely unrecognised voluntary public service, actively seeking out those in trouble; taking them home or to a place of safety – before they come to police attention, either as victims, or offenders.

Sergeant Wayne Panapa and Senior Constable Paddy Whiu lead a warden’s training session. Photo: Anna Woolnough

They operate against a strict set of values, the foremost being Aroha ki te tangata or compassion for the people. Others are, rangimārie, peace; manaaki, kindness; korero, persuasion; whakaiti, humility; tautoko, support and pono, integrity and honesty.

Working from within their communities, wardens give support and guidance where needed. As well as carrying out beat and mobile patrols in towns and cities they act as advocates at court; as hospital visitors; oversee community corrections programmes; provide safety services such as traffic and crowd control at local events; intervene on behalf of ‘at risk’ youth; support police and freely give their time and energy to benefit local people.

First established in 1865, the Māori Social Advancement Act of 1945 gave ministerial power to appoint Māori Wardens. This act was replaced in 1962 by the Māori Community Development Act (MCDA). It gives the wardens two official functions, controlling the use of alcohol and disorderly behaviour among Māori. The MCDA gives wardens unique and practical powers which, in specific instances, exceed those of police officers.

Wardens may: enter any licensed premises and warn the licensee to abstain from selling or providing any liquor to any Māori who may be intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome, disorderly, or is likely to be. They can forbid any Māori to drive a motor vehicle, require them to deliver up their keys, or take steps to immobilise that vehicle where the warden is of the opinion that the person is incapable of exercising proper control of the vehicle by reason of their physical and /or mental condition.

Wardens may, without warrant, enter a meeting place where Māori are gathered to search for and seize liquor for removal and forfeiture. They can exercise the Section 35(1) power on anyone including non-Māori where in the vicinity of a gathering of Māori.

Police Māori Pacific and Ethnic Services (MPES) are providing training and support to an increasing number of Māori wardens across the country. Wardens are now receiving the technical skills and information they need to do their jobs safely and communication channels between wardens and police are being strengthened – enabling police to leverage off the unique relationships that wardens have with their communities.