The 111 Files: Many strands to great legacy

Mauriora Kingi provided much inspiration for the new Rotorua police station.

Many tributes have rightfully been made concerning Mauriora Kingi MNZM during the past few days.

Whenever a man of his stature and position passes, conversations will always be loaded with acknowledgement of his contribution to his people, community and country.

Mayor Steve Chadwick has spoken warmly of the role he played in being "the glue" between council and iwi.

Rotorua police are also grateful for the advice and support Mauriora graciously provided over the years on a variety of projects, from road-safety campaigns (Ruru the Morepork) to the design of the new Rotorua police station.

The brief given to the design team for the station required them to incorporate four critical elements:

-It had to reflect the police vision of partnership - "Safer Communities Together".

-Welcoming meeting spaces that support collaborative activity; as modern police stations are community facilities where police meet community partners to resolve community problems.

-An interior design that supported a sense of community, good communication and team work.

-An overall design that is responsive to the unique characteristics of the Rotorua community, in particular local iwi.

From an early stage in the design process, Mau's advice and counsel was sought on how those objectives might be met.

Although it was award-winning Te Arawa artist Lyonel Grant who was responsible for the detail of the Maori designs incorporated into the building, Mau's guidance was a constant throughout the project.

One of the architectural responses to the brief was the creation of a large symbolic korowai (cloak) that spans the front of the building, giving expression to the role of police in protecting the community and the police station being a place of safety and care.

Given the aspirations held by police for the new building, an approach was made to local iwi leaders to consider bestowing a name on the new station - something that would be a first for New Zealand; and quite possibly the world.

Mauriora saw the potential of the vision and gifted to police a name that would tautoko (support) the aspirations of local police and give mana (respect and status) to the goal of making families and the wider community safe - Te Amo Whakaruruhau.

His inspiration was the proverb, "Ko te Amorangi ki mua, ko te o ki muri". The leader at the front and the workers behind the scenes.

Amo is an abbreviation for amorangi, which means to carry on and take up; to be a peacemaker and leader.

Whakaruruhau means shelter, cover or protect.

When brought together, the name of the new station is a wonderful expression of the role that police perform in our community. Te Amo Whakaruruhau - a place where you will find shelter and refuge; and people who are leaders in making others safe.

So Te Amo Whakaruruhau will also always be another strand in Mauriora's legacy to the community he loved.

Moe mai ra e te rangatira.

Inspector Bruce Horne is the Rotorua police area commander.