Wellington’s collaborative approach to improving city safety has been recognised internationally, with The Pōneke Promise winning the Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
The award, administered by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing at Arizona State University, honours outstanding problem-solving initiatives that achieve measurable success in reducing crime, disorder, and public safety challenges.
The winning submission, From Pā to Park to Promise, showcased the multi-agency effort across Wellington City Council, New Zealand Police, and community partners to improve safety, wellbeing, and public confidence in the Te Aro Park precinct and wider central city.
Senior Sergant Hamish Knight from the Wellington Police, who led and presented the submission at the awards ceremony, said the success reflected years of hands-on work and partnership: “This work was built from the ground up with our community, Council, and local partners. It’s about creating lasting change, not quick fixes, and seeing the difference that genuine collaboration can make on our streets every day.”
“The Pōneke Promise laid the foundation for our current City Safety and Wellbeing Plan, which continues to build on the same principles of collaboration, prevention, and place-based action,” said Sehai Orgad, Senior Responsible Officer for City Safety at Wellington City Council.
“Most importantly, our City Safety and Wellbeing Plan is about confidence, confidence that when you come into the city, you’ll see a stronger safety presence, better support services, and a community that looks out for one another.
This is what the evolution from the Pōneke Promise to the City Safety and Wellbeing Plan means – moving from promises into delivery, from ideas into action, with sustainable, long-term solutions.”
The Herman Goldstein Award has been recognising innovative policing and community partnerships across the world since 1993.
The Herman Goldstein Award is an international competition recognising excellence in problem-oriented policing. Learn more at Arizona State University Problem-Oriented Policing website.
