Tauranga police welcome Timor-Leste officers

Superintendent Justinho Menezes, assistant Superintendent Inacio Amaral, Sergeant Nga Utanga, senior programme officer Armando Dos Santos and Superintendent Orlando Gomes.

Fourteen police District Commanders from Timor-Leste were in Tauranga today as part of the Timor-Leste Community Policing Programme (TLCPP).

The officers were learning about the New Zealand community policing system to take what they learnt back to their home country.

"Timor is a very young country - 12 years old. That's how old the police are, effectively," Sergeant Nga Utanga said.

"What they've come to New Zealand to do is to see what their future will look like."

The trip was funded by New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.