Institutional racism has been cited as a reason for the public's lack of faith in Tauranga suburb Merivale.
Following a stabbing in Merivale, the southern Tauranga suburb has been back in the news.
Residents said common perceptions of Merivale were wrong, and police agreed.
Tauranga South police station's Senior Sergeant Lew Warner said Merivale simply reflected the rest of New Zealand.
"There are other areas that have just as many problems and for me it's a really engaged community and they're really trying to make it a better place."
Mr Warner said Merivale's bad name was from a bygone era.
Mr Warner said Tauranga's worst crimes - double homicides - had happened outside of Merivale.
He said if people wanted to find out what Merivale was all about they should attend ValeFest, a celebration of the Merivale community, at Yatton Park on March 31.
Tauranga South Police community constable Leanne Fairbairn, said of all the Tauranga communities she worked with - and there had been around 10 - Merivale was the easiest to work with.
"They want to help themselves. They are motivated and the most amazing, dynamic people."
Services manager at Merivale Community Centre, Graham Cameron, said there was a big population of Maori and Pacifica people in Merivale and there was "institutional racism" in Tauranga.
"What I mean by that is who do we hear about in relation to child abuse? Burglary? Rape? Murder? We hear more about Maori and Pacific people."
He also said there was a disappointing attitude towards people in lower socio-economic communities.