Overview
From the New Zealand Crime & Victim Survey we know disabled people are on average 10% more likely to be a victim of a crime and are disproportionally represented in youth and prison facilities.
Police is committed to creating safer communities. Through collaborative problem solving we have been actively engaging with the Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent communities to develop a disability framework for Police.
The Police Disability Roadmap provides a structure and framework setting out Police’s intentions and what it hopes to achieve working alongside disability communities and our partners in the Justice Sector.
The Roadmap sets out sixteen actions Police intends to undertake over a five-year period. Some actions are already in place, with the priority being the establishment of the Disability Advisory Group.
The Disability Advisory Group will ensure Police has the appropriate guidance and advice when implementing the other actions in its Disability Roadmap.
This Disability Roadmap was approved by the Police Executive in 2025 and reflects organisational priorities and strategic direction at that time.
As a living document, the Roadmap may be updated as needed to incorporate new guidance, emerging evidence, and feedback from disabled people, disability communities, and Police staff.
Following the subsequent approval of the New Zealand Disability Strategy by Government in late 2025, Police will review and refresh this Roadmap to ensure continued alignment with expectations, legislative requirements, and system-wide priorities for meaningful change at a national level.
Actions
1. Establish Disability Advisory Group
The purpose of the New Zealand Police Disability Advisory Group is to improve the overall safety and wellbeing of New Zealand’s disability communities and staff by:
- Providing guidance and advice to Police, from a lived experience perspective, to enable, support, develop and maintain mutually beneficial and collaborative relationships between Deaf, disability and neurodivergent communities and Police.
- Working collaboratively and informing decisions to enable Police to improve its service delivery for these communities.
- Supporting Police to be respectful and responsive to the rights of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people.
2. Introduce a disability Flag in core IT systems
Provide disabled people with a voluntary opportunity to have some of their disability information noted in Police’s IT system to improve police services when interacting with disabled people. The disability information is provided by the disabled person or their parent/guardian and will be limited to relevant disability details Police need to know when communicating with the person. It can identify any assistance they may need during interactions with Police.
The goal of the Flag is to facilitate better communication and understanding between frontline staff and members of disability communities.
3. Improve disability data
Increase and improve disability data contributing to policy and planning decisions so Police can understand the relationship between disability and crime. This data can then support and develop approaches within the powers of police to minimise adverse effects.
The data will inform and influence future decisions about policing services for disability communities.
4. National coordination of intranet site
Implement a central hub for police staff to access disability resources and information connected with disability. This information will be readily available for staff to access at any time on the Police intranet page. It includes policy, training material and links to external sites to assist police staff.
5. Individual projects
Introduce smaller one-off projects on an as-needs basis to improve the relationship between Police and the disability community. This ensures there is capacity for future projects that have yet to be identified but that may arise across the duration of the Disability Roadmap. For example, Police’s first project was to review its use of Communications Assistants and other potential projects ae being identified.
6. Police staff disability training
Using both existing and new training mechanisms, the training will give staff the necessary knowledge and understanding to respond to disabled people appropriately, respectfully and confidently.
7. Develop a Joint Protocol for disabled ‘Vulnerable Adults’*
(as defined in section 2 of Crimes Act 1961)
Work with community disability services and partnering government agencies to achieve better outcomes for disabled people who are in the care of another person and experiencing abuse. This will include clarifying the interagency roles of disability support services and government agencies and how they connect with each other, so the disabled person and their wellbeing is the primary focus.
*Definition of ‘Vulnerable Adult’
Some New Zealand law uses the term Vulnerable Adult. A vulnerable adult is a person who is controlled by another person or who relies on the care of another person and,
- Because of how old they are or
- Because of Illness or
- Because of Disability or
- Because of their mental health needs or
- Because they have been detained or
- Because of any other reason
the vulnerable adult is unable to remove him or herself from the care or control of that other person.
8. Increase engagement with disabled communities
Increase engagement with disability communities, committing to increased understanding of issues impacting disabled people and policing in New Zealand. This could include targeted consultation across issues in policing that impact on disabled people through a variety of forums to be established.
9. Consider a network of District Disability Advisors
Investigate ways in which Police could link those police staff currently working with disabled communities into a group of nationally coordinated advisors, so they have the necessary resources and support to combine efforts to work more effectively with disabled communities. The intent is to strengthen and contribute to the work already underway and acknowledge staff commitment to Police and disabled people.
10. Incorporate disability into all police resources
Explore ways Police can include disability into relevant police documents, training and processes. This includes incorporating disability scenarios and examples in day-to-day training and internal documents (e.g. Police Instructions).
11. Investigate existing resources for communicating with Deaf and Disabled
Consider ways Police can expand the number of Police’s public resources into accessible formats, and work with the Disability Advisory Group to identify which documents are prioritised.
12. Screening questions to identify disability
Consider how screening questions might work in a policing context to encourage and support a person to disclose their disability to police, noting police staff are neither qualified nor capable of accurately determining whether a person is disabled, unless the person choses to disclose their disability/disabilities.
13. Introduce free Wi-Fi services at police front counters
Consider whether free wi-fi at public counters in police stations could help people who need to use their phones for communication with police staff.
For example, providing easier access to online New Zealand Sign Language interpretation services.
14. Investigate targeted recruitment
Recognising there are some physical requirements constabulary staff must meet, Police will explore targeted recruitment among disabled people and their family and friends for constabulary and non-constabulary roles.
15. Investigate the introduction of public facing Disability Liaison Officers
Investigate the potential for districts to have dedicated police to provide regular liaison and connections with local disabled communities.
16. Review 111 text service
Explore opportunities to improve the existing 111 emergency text service.
