Home Contact Us

We are the only NZ Police oversight body

We are not part of the NZ Police

Under law we are fully independent

If you have a complaint about the NZ Police, you can come to us

Mana Whanonga Pirihimana Motuhake

Home / Complaints

What you can complain about

Find out what you can complain about and what we don't do.

What you can complain about

  • Police misconduct
  • Police not doing their duty or not doing it properly
  • Police practices, policies and procedures.

This can include but is not limited to:

  • unreasonable force
  • dishonesty
  • perjury - making false statements under oath
  • threats or harassment
  • unlawful arrest
  • failure to respond to or investigate an offence or to prosecute someone
  • failure to return property seized by Police during an investigation when it is no longer part of a Police exhibit
  • unprofessional behaviour.

For more information regarding Police conduct view the NZ Police Professional Conduct glossary.

What we don't do

  • We don't provide legal advice.
  • We can't award compensation.
  • We're not an emergency response service.
  • We can't act as a spokesperson on your behalf.
  • We don't process requests for Police documents.
  • We don't consider complaints that contest traffic infringement notices. You should contact the Police Infringement Bureau about this on 0800 105 777 from a landline, 04 381 0000 from a mobile or email them at ticket@police.govt.nz.
We don't have the power to lay criminal charges or to take disciplinary action against Police.

If you don't want to make a formal complaint but want to discuss a concern with the Police, you can contact them directly or submit feedback using the NZ Police Expression of Dissatisfaction form.
MoST Content Management V3.0.9064