{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox law enforcement agency | agencyname = Cook Islands Police Service | nativename = | nativenamea = | nativenamer = | commonname = | abbreviation = | fictional = | patch = | patchcaption = | logo = File:Cook Islands Police Service logo.jpg | logocaption = | badge = | badgecaption = | flag = | flagcaption = | imagesize = | motto = | mottotranslated = | formedmonthday = | formedyear = | preceding1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | dissolved = | superseding = | employees = 107 (2016)<ref name="CookIslandsSun">{{cite news |last1=Blount |first1=Alastair |title=A chat with the Cook Islands Police Commissioner |url=http://enjoycookislands.com/stories/meet-the-cook-islands-police-commissioner |accessdate=9 December 2019 |work=Cook Islands Sun |date=30 April 2016}}</ref> | volunteers = | budget = | legalpersonality = | country = Cook Islands | countryabbr = | national = | federal = | international = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |country1 . . |countryNNN}}--> | divtype = | divname = | divdab = | subdivtype = | subdivname = | subdivdab = | map = | mapcaption = | dmap = | sizearea = | sizepopulation = | legaljuris = | governingbody = | governingbodyscnd = | constitution1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | police = Yes | local = | military = | paramilitary = | provost = | gendarmerie = | religious = | speciality1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | secret = | overviewtype = | overviewbody = | headquarters = Avarua | hqlocmap = | hqlocmapborder = | hqlocmapwidth = | hqlocmapheight = | hqlocleft = | hqloctop = | hqlocmappoptitle = | sworntype = | sworn = | unsworntype = | unsworn = | multinational = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |country1 . . |countryNNN}}--> | electeetype = | minister1name = Hon. Vaine Mokoroa | minister1pfo = Minister for Police <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | chief1name = Terepu Keenan | chief1position = Commissioner of Police <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | parentagency = | child1agency = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | unittype = | unitname = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Unit1 . . |UnitNNN}}--> | officetype = | officename = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Office1 . . |OfficeNNN}}--> | provideragency = | uniformedas = | stationtype = | stations = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Station1 . . |StationNNN}}--> | airbases = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Airbase1 . . |AirbaseNNN}}--> | lockuptype = | lockups = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Lockup1 . . |LockupNNN}}--> | vehicle1type = | vehicles1 = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Vehicle1 . . |VehicleNNN}}--> <!-- (...up to 3...) --> | boat1type = | boats1 = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Boat1 . . |BoatNNN}}--> <!-- (...up to 3...) --> | aircraft1type = | aircraft1 = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Aircraft1 . . |AircraftNNN}}--> <!-- (...up to 3...) --> | animal1type = | animals1 = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |Animal1 . . |AnimalNNN}}--> <!-- (...up to 3...) --> | person1name = | person1reason = | person1type = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | programme1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | activity1name = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | activitytype = | anniversary1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | award1 = <!-- (...up to 6...) --> | website = [https://www.facebook.com/CookIslandsPolice/ Official Facebook page] | footnotes = | reference = }}
The '''Cook Islands Police Service''' ('''CIPS''') is the police force of the Cook Islands. The current Commissioner of Police is Maara Tetava who was first appointed in 2009 and in 2011 was reappointed.<ref name="CookIslandsSun" />
==Operations== On 19 October 2016, an escaped prisoner fatally shot his ex-wife and her new partner before turning the gun on himself in Rarotonga.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Richard |title=Double murderer shot himself |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/63553-double-murderer-shot-himself/63553-double-murderer-shot-himself |accessdate=9 December 2019 |work=Cook Island News |date=20 March 2017}}</ref> A review of the incident was conducted by former Commissioner Tevai Matapo and retired Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Denis McDermott.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Syme-Buchanan |first1=Florence |title=A day that shocked the Cook Islands |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/341873/a-day-that-shocked-the-cook-islands |accessdate=9 December 2019 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=19 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Paper No. 103 - Police Review - Independent & Comprehensive Review of a Violent Incident in Rarotonga, Cook Islands on 18–19 October 2016 |url=https://parliament.gov.ck/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PACReport1-2017Police-Commissioner-P103.pdf |website=Parliament of the Cook Islands |accessdate=9 December 2019 |date=16 June 2017}}</ref> The police service is implementing the recommendations of the review including forming a Tactical Support Unit to respond to firearms incidents as earlier recommended by a New Zealand Police review in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Moore|first1=Richard|url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2017/03/23/cook-islands-police-urgently-need-equipment-training|title=Cook Islands Police 'Urgently Need' Equipment, Training|work=Pacific Islands Report|date=23 March 2017|accessdate=2018-06-22}}</ref>
''Radio New Zealand'' reported on 16 May 2017 that twenty percent of the police force had resigned, over the last year, over concerns that they were the most poorly paid government workers.<ref name="RadioNZ2017-05-16">{{cite news|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201844006/cooks-islands-police-force-loses-officers|title=Cooks Islands police force loses officers|work=Radio New Zealand|date=2017-05-16|accessdate=2018-06-22|quote=In the most recent case six officers left in April and while Commissioner, Ma'ara Tetava, told the Cook Islands News it is sad to lose this experience, he says the force will be able to cope.}}</ref> New officers earn NZD$14,000.<ref name="RadioNZ2017-05-16" />
==Maritime wing==
Among the Police Service's mandate is exercising sovereignty over the nation's {{convert|200|km|adj=on}} exclusive economic zone (EEZ). When the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas extended maritime nations' EEZs Australia provided a patrol boat to the Cook Islands and patrol boats to 11 other fellow members of the Pacific Forum. The Cook Islands operated a {{sclass2|Pacific|patrol boat|1}}, the {{ship|CIPPB|Te Kukupa}}, from 1989 to 2022, having received a re-fit in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Patrol boat 'born again' |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/51765-patrol-boat-born-again/51765-patrol-boat-born-again |accessdate=9 December 2019 |work=Cook Islands News |date=15 May 2015}}</ref> A larger and more capable {{sclass2|Guardian|patrol boat|1}}, {{ship|CIPPB|Te Kukupa II}}, that built in Australia entered service in 2022 to replace the ''Te Kukupa'' for the police force.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Prime Minister Brown to Attend Handover Ceremony for CIPPB Te Kukupa II |url=https://mfai.gov.ck/news-updates/mfai-media-release-prime-minister-brown-attend-handover-ceremony-cippb-te-kukupa-ii |access-date=21 August 2023 |work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration - Government of the Cook Islands |date=9 June 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.facebook.com/CookIslandsPolice/ Cook Islands Police Service] on Facebook * {{cite web |title=Cook Islands Police Service |url=http://www.police.gov.ck/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708142047/http://www.police.gov.ck/ |archivedate=8 July 2013 |date=2013}}
{{Oceania topic|Law enforcement in}}
Police Category:Cook Island police officers Category:Law enforcement agencies in Oceania Category:Law enforcement in New Zealand
{{CookIslands-stub}} {{law-enforcement-agency-stub}}