On behalf of New Zealand Police, we wish all our media friends a safe and happy holiday season.

Like many of you, we’ll continue to be available throughout the holiday period.

The Media Centre will operate from 6am to 9pm weekdays, excluding Christmas Day, when the team will be available from 7am.

Our usual weekend hours of 7am to 9pm remain unchanged. 

As always, information on any significant events outside these hours will be issued proactively.

Please note that Police National Headquarters is closed for the holiday period from the end of today.

Seventy-seven new hats flew into the air as wing 391, the final graduating police wing of 2025, celebrated the end of their initial training from the New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) this afternoon. 

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, members of the police executive and wing patron, Louisa Wall – Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato, Ngāti Hineuru congratulated the 77 new graduating constables alongside their families and friends. 

Police investigating the murder of 37-year-old Teishallia Te Paea in Camberley in October are hoping an offender profile released today will help identify them.

Emergency services were called to an address in Kotuku Street, Camberley, on 29 October, after Teishallia’s body was located.

Sadly, her body had lain undiscovered for likely several weeks, as attempts had been made to conceal her.  

Detective Inspector Martin James says Police are determined to get answers for Teishallia’s family.

After several weeks of training, two front line Patrol Dog teams and two Detector Dog teams celebrated today at a ceremony formally recognising their graduation to become working police dog teams.

“It’s a proud day for the graduates and the families of all four dog teams. The training has been busy and demanding for the handlers, but they’re all extremely competent, effective, and have demonstrated resolve,” says Inspector Todd Southall, National Coordinator of New Zealand Police Dogs.

One person has died after an incident involving a commercial mower in Te Kouma, Coromandel today.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Te Kouma Road about midday.

Despite the best efforts of staff and members of the public at the scene, sadly the person died.

The death has been referred to WorkSafe and the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 

Hutt Valley Police are continuing to investigate a serious assault that left a person with critical injuries.

At around 5am on Wednesday 10 December, Police received reports of an assault at an address on Trinity Avenue, Epuni.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Cusin says Police continue to explore multiple avenues of enquiry and are asking the public for their help.

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment for indecent communications, distributing objectionable material, and threatening to commit a mass stabbing attack, following a joint investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs and New Zealand Police.

Police investigating the homicide of a Rotorua man are urging residents near the scene to check their properties for discarded items.

Thirty-seven-year-old Nicholas Patrick Mitchell was found deceased in a vehicle on Ford Road shortly before 8:30pm on Friday.

Rotorua Area Investigations Manager Senior Sergeant Mark Van Kempen said Police were working “at pace” to find the offender, and asked residents on and near Ford Road to check their properties for possible evidence.

Please attribute to Inspector Danny Meade:

Police have quickly arrested a man in central Auckland after being located carrying a samurai sword.

Just before 4pm, Police responded to information that a person was believed to be carrying a firearm on Upper Queen Street.

Armed units immediately responded to the area and made enquiries. Any presence of a firearm in the area was unable to be substantiated.

A large-scale marine search and rescue (SAR) exercise involving specialist Police personnel off the New Plymouth coastline has been hailed a major success.