'Tears of happiness': Otago Lakes Central welcomes first female Māori police commander

Inspector Paula Enoka with her nephews, from left: Cory, 12, Ryan, 13, and Jared, 8. Photo / Jared Morgan

A powerful haka performed by her nephews punctuated a powhiri to formally induct the Otago Lakes Central policing area's first female and Māori commander.

About 60 of Inspector Paula Enoka's policing peers, whānau and iwi representatives attended the pōwhiri at Dunstan High School's whare whakaruruhau in Alexandra on Friday.

Following all traditional protocols, the ceremony began with Alexandra kaikaranga Francie Diver and Louise McKenzie calling the guests.

Kaumātua for Otago Lakes and Central area Taare Bradshaw said in his kaikorero he was so thrilled with Enoka's appointment he "cried tears of happiness".

News of her ascension in police ranks had spread throughout Otago and Southland Māori, including to wahine in the deep South he jokingly referred to the "dragons down in Bluff".

Police kaumātua Herewini Neho, of Murihiku in Southland, said it was the first time he had appointed "one of my own" and issued a challenge to her police colleagues.

"She'll look after you fellas, if you look after her. I know you'll look after her."

An emotional Enoka then looked on as her nephews Ryan, Cory and Jared Enoka, all of Wanaka, performed a haka to close the ceremony.

The solemnity of the occasion was not lost on Enoka, who is of Ngāti Whātua iwi and Te Uri o Hau hapu, and was particularly meaningful from a cultural perspective.

"Today is an especially special day for me to be welcomed into the bosom of the local iwi in such a special place for them and the iwi they represent."

Adding to the emotion was that the day of the induction coincided with her late mother's birthday.

It was Enoka's mother who inspired her from childhood to lead with aroha and connection to people and it was those lessons she carried with her through her 20-year police career, she said.

Enoka joined the police force in 2001 after earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree and considering a career as an accountant, and she did not look back.

She represented New Zealand in hockey, playing for the Black Sticks at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, and was based with police in Wellington and then the Waitematā district. She served a year in Timor Leste as a detention centre commander from October 2006.

It was the latter that resulted in her being awarded a Queen's Service Medal in 2008.

Her appointment as area commander comes after six years as Queenstown police station response manager.

Enoka said being the first wāhine and Māori in such a role in the Southern Police district was another step in her career.

"It's a huge achievement but that's not the goal, it's part of the journey."

Southern district commander Superintendent Paul Basham said yesterday marked a significant day for the district and the powhiri marked a full-circle journey in the recruitment process, as four "really strong" candidates had been interviewed in the same place.