International Police Liaison Officers: An Examination of the Experiences of New Zealand Police International Liaison Officers

Abstract Since the early 1970s, international police liaison officers have been a pivotal resource in building and maintaining relationships and cooperation between the police and other law enforcement organizations. Their role and their contribution to investigating transnational crime and terrorism have not been examined. This research includes a survey of 18 serving police officers, who were, or had been appointed to international liaison posts, by the New Zealand Police. The participants claimed that their role was to establish networks, gather information and intelligence followed by undertaking inquiries in relation to criminal and drug investigations. To a lesser extent, the participants thought that the purpose of their role was to counter terrorism, undertake immigration inquiries, and to attend social events.