Superintendent Will Loughrin takes charge of Bay of Plenty police

Bay of Plenty's new police district commander, Superintendent Will Loughrin, addresses guests at his welcome ceremony at Te Papaiouru Maraea at Ōhinemutu. Photo / Kelly Makiha

The Bay of Plenty’s new police boss promises he’s not had Botox, he’s just relatively young to be a leader.

Superintendent Will Loughrin has become the new Bay of Plenty police district commander at the age of 39.

He replaces Tim Anderson, one of three people taking on assistant commissioner roles in Wellington following a major shake-up of top-tier police management.

Loughrin was officially welcomed to his role today at a pōhiri at Te Papaiouru Marae at Ōhinemutu, where police colleagues from the Waikato, where he had held leadership roles, officially handed him over to the Bay of Plenty.

Addressing about 100 guests inside the marae after the official pōhiri, Loughrin said he was asked beforehand why he appeared so calm.

The Ngāti Whakaue descendant explained it was a “huge privilege” to come back to a place where he was from, through his Tapsell links at Maketū.

“I said, ‘I didn’t know, but it just feels right being here’ ... It’s a real honour to come back to a place I whakapapa back to.”

He warmed the crowd when he jokingly addressed his age.

“And I guess the elephant in the room, yes, I’m young, this isn’t a Botox regime ... but I’ve always based my career on caring for the people, listening, having an open heart and mind. Getting things wrong but always learning from them and never fearing failure.”

Loughrin joined the police aged 19.

Bay of Plenty's new police district commander, Superintendent Will Loughrin, is led on to Te Papaiouru Maraea at Ōhinemutu. Photo / Kelly Makiha

He began his career in Counties Manukau before moving to Waikato in 2011.

An experienced investigator, he has worked across several investigation workgroups and held senior leadership roles, including area commander for Waikato West.

He was Waikato’s acting district commander before his Bay of Plenty appointment.

He also recently acted as director of integrity and conduct at Police National Headquarters.

It’s a career he was almost destined to have.

As the son of a New Zealand police officer, who went on to be a chief detective inspector in the Hong Kong Police, policing was always Loughrin’s goal.

Superintendent Will Loughrin is officially handed over by his Waikato police colleagues to the Bay of Plenty at Te Papaiouru Maraea at Ōhinemutu. Photo / Kelly Makiha

The CIB has been a big part of his career withstints in Auckland, Waikato and Eastern districts.

Loughrin described the role changes among police hierarchy as “one of the biggest leadership changes in police in over 100 years”.

Former deputy police commissioner Wallace Haumaha, who recently retired after 40 years, was among the Te Arawa kaumātua who welcomed Loughrin.

Hamauha said Loughrin knew how tough the job would be, but said he had the people behind him.

Good friend and Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale attended the pōhiri, saying he knew Loughrin personally as their children were friends and had grown up together in Cambridge.

He said he was thrilled to have Loughrin leading police in the Bay of Plenty.

Superintendent Will Loughrin addresses the "elephant in the room" - his "young" age. Photo / Kelly Makiha

Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers, who attended from Wellington, told Loughrin he was not alone. She also asked those in the room to ensure that was the case.

“These are hard roles, and so remember these people here are for you, they are with you, they are alongside you ... when leaders put themselves in these positions, do not let them stand alone, stand with them.”

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.

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