It's jailhouse rock as Shihad play for police (+photos, video)

Constables Eddie Pene and Melanie Irwin join the 1200 crowd at the Manukau police station yesterday in listening to Jon Toogood and his band Shihad. Photo / Richard Robinson

When a South Auckland police officer responded with "we deal with the meanest criminals" to a competition trying to find the "meanest workplace" they had the contest locked up.

The organisers of the radio station competition said the entry had to win and so yesterday rock band Shihad played at the Manukau police station as their prize.

Officer Jacky Surridge, with forensics in the Custody Unit, was one of more than 170 entrants who claimed they had the "meanest workplace".

"You couldn't get any meaner than the New Zealand police force. It is the coolest place to work. So many colleagues are all striving for the same thing. I am Shihad's biggest fan and I would love my colleagues to rock out to the coolest band ever," Ms Surridge's entry said.

When they received it, the organisers at The Rock station's competition said "of course that had to win".

Yesterday afternoon Shihad played to more than 1200 officers and their families, with all of the Counties Manukau staff invited to the concert.

In the official invitation, Superintendent John Timms said in an ideal world he would have liked all the staff to be able to attend the "once in a blue moon" event but said some still had to keep the community safe.

"My thanks in advance to all of you who will be holding down the fort operationally, it is much appreciated by me and your work colleagues," Mr Timms had said.

The competition was to promote the launch of Shihad's "The Meanest" New Zealand tour which kicks off in Hamilton tomorrow.