Northland's top cop Superintendent Russell le Prou heads to China

Superintendent Russell le Prou is leaving Northland police in good shape as he heads to China to take up an international policing role. Photo/ Tania Whyte

"E tū ki te kei o te waka, kia pakia koe e ngā ngaru o te wā." Stand at the stern of the canoe and feel the spray of the future biting at your face.

It's a Māori whakatauke that rolls off the tongue of Superintendent Russell le Prou, and one he has drawn from during his six and a half years as Northland's top cop.

"That for me is about resilience, leadership and getting the paddlers to work in unison in one direction," le Prou said.

While at the stern of the waka in Te Tai Tokerau he reckons it's been a challenging but rewarding role but only possible due to a great team of officers and support from other agencies.

Le Prou, with nearly 35 years with police, is now on a different waka journey as he takes up the role of the senior police liaison officer for China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea for the New Zealand Police based out of Beijing. Before jetting off to Beijing le Prou reflected on policing in Northland.

It was while writing his CV for the international job that he was able to look over what he had achieved during his stint in Te Tai Tokerau.

"The irony of when you are leaving is you sit down and write a CV and you reflect on all your work. You start to appreciate the journey of six and a half years because when you are in the middle of the fight you don't have a chance to sit back and reflect because you don't have time.

"For me it's been a cool journey but I come back to this 'no man is an island' and there are some really neat stories about the staff and what they are doing here."

One of the areas he is proud of is a strategy around recruiting local people to police in the region and the support given to them on their way to joining the thin blue line.

"We bring a people and cultural focus to what we do. As soon as you put your name down you are part of the police family and we help you with the application. We ring regularly and keep you engaged through the process. We do a little pushing and encouraging and we do it face to face."

Le Prou said if applicant were not successful the whanau were engaged with police in a positive way.

"What we are seeing is energy, passion enthusiasm a really neat bunch of young people who are connected to their communities."

A change in the way Waitangi day is policed has also seen officers blend into the background. With a dedicated Iwi liaison team of Northland-based officers rather than those from outside the region has softened the police approach and there is more understanding.

"I remember the first year I was here we had to surround the flag pole now we have no one. We are a big part but want to be in the background doing the connection work."

Building strong and trusted links with other agencies outside the police has also been an accomplishment for le Prou, who reckons he is a people person.

Strong links with iwi and the District Health Board has allowed for new strategies for dealing with crime including the creation of Te Ara Oranga aimed a reducing methamphetamine demand by enhancing clinical treatment services.

"In Northland police are connecting to our community and we are getting better and better."

The tragic shooting at Tiger Mountain where Wendy Campbell, 60, her daughter Natanya Campbell, 37, were shot by Quinn Patterson, who later died at the scene was the highest-profile incident le Prou was involved in.

"The bravery of staff was impressive and it was a test of my leadership and how it played out was something that challenged me."

He was not prepared to say much about the incident, with the Police Complaints Authority still to release its investigation findings.

A tough period for police was investigating a string of homicides in 2016 when he admits staff were worked too hard.

"Every one of those cases was a complex gang homicide and they got results on every one of those and I think the community probably underestimates the work ethic of those guys and girls and what they did over that period. All credit to them they got the job done."

He said one of the hardest moments on the job was when he told Whangarei staff one of their own had died as a result of falling from a BMX bike while off duty.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Clubley, 49, died in Whangarei Hospital after suffering serious head and neck injures in a fall from a bike on the Whangārei BMX track at Pohe Island in 2014.

Le Prou is quick to make clear he has achieved thanks to the good work of others around him.

"A man is not an island. You set a vision or intent. You can't be there 24/7 and other people deliver on that and that's the beauty of these roles. I get a huge buzz out of the all the good stories I hear from police in Northland.

"I leave Northland in a really good space. With resourcing coming it will enable who is ever next to make a real difference and the set up with the long term strategies with iwi and other agencies."

In the new job it will involve investigating organised crime, financial crime, facilitating investigations back in New Zealand and investigations in the countries he covers.

And for the keen rugby follower there is a World Cup in Japan followed by an Olympic Games during his four-year posting.

While he doesn't speak any of the languages of his new countries he says that's part of the challenge.

"I leave satisfied but my waka journey's not finished although it has come to and end at this point. My waka now carries on to China."