Sergeant Gurpreet Arora, of Counties Manukau, has become a Member of the New Order of Merit (MNZM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours announced today.
Sgt Arora has had more than 15 years’ experience in frontline and ethnic services policing and currently works in Counties Manukau District.
Sgt Andy Brooke of Central District, has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM).
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the awards are well deserved for officers committed to improving the lives of people in need of a helping hand.
“I congratulate Gurpreet and Andy on these awards and on the many achievements for Police and their communities,” says Commissioner Coster.
“They have both been leaders in their fields and committed to their work, often giving their own time to ensure we give New Zealanders the service they expect and deserve.”
Sgt Arora says he’s privileged and honoured to receive the award. “I’m proud to work for an amazing organisation which is respected and achieves a lot with help from the community.
“This honour is for all those working to reduce family harm, including community agencies and counsellors working with victims, children and perpetrators to turn lives around.”
He also acknowledged the help, support and encouragement he receives from his family.
Sgt Arora has worked extensively with South Asian communities, developing or helping implement projects such as Operation Dukan, a project in 2008-2009, in which Police worked with small business proprietors to improve their safety at a time of high offending against them, and in family harm initiatives. This was after the killing of a liquor store owner in a robbery resulting in negativity within the ethnic community and a feeling that police were unable to stop robberies happening in Counties Manukau.
In his roles as an ethnic liaison officer and coordinator in Counties Manukau, Sergeant Arora became a significant point of contact for the South Asian community and worked closely with various ethnic groups in communities to ensure their proper representation in the District and Area South Asian Advisory Boards of Counties Manukau Police.
He was also involved in setting up and expanding Gandhi Nivas, a perpetrator-oriented project to reduce family harm, and used ethnic media channels and community partnerships to promote personal and public safety messages and neighbourhood crime prevention programmes.
In 2009, Sgt Arora was recognised with a District Commander’s Award.
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