Counties Manukau Police have unveiled a new specially designed police car featuring a koru for Te Wiki o te reo Māori (Māori Language Week).
Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the New Zealand Police is "passionate about reflecting the communities we serve and working with Iwi to achieve better outcomes for Māori".
"We wanted to do something visible to show our support of te reo Māori and highlight our commitment to recruiting more Māori in Tamaki Makaurau, and across Aotearoa," Cmmr Bush said.
The Mai FM crew will be working with police throughout the week as part of a "backseat cop" promotion, with presenters going out into the community riding with Te Reo speaking police officers.
Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Chief Executive Māori, Wally Haumaha, says that the organisation aims to encourage the use of Te Reo right across the New Zealand Police.
"The more we can do to effectively communicate the better, and there are a number of instances where having an officer able to speak Te Reo and understand tikanga has really been advantageous in resolving situations," he said.
This year's theme for Te Wiki o te reo Māori is "kia ora te reo Māori" which literally translates to "let the language live".
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