New Zealand Police will be implementing a mandatory vaccination policy for all employees, contractors, volunteers, suppliers, new employees and visitors who work or enter police sites.

Vaccination rates across New Zealand Police are already high with 96 per cent of all staff having received at least one dose and 94 per cent having had two doses.

Everyone covered by the new policy will be required to have had their first Covid-19 vaccination by February 11 and to have had their second by March 11.

Anyone visiting a police station or police site to access essential police services (e.g.front-counter services) and people brought to a station for services in relation to enforcement and operational activities (e.g.victims and witnesses) are exempt from the policy.

People held in police custody suites are also not required to be vaccinated.

The majority of police staff are already covered by the Police Vaccination Order which came into effect on January 17 and applies to constabulary staff, authorised officers and recruits.

'Police is committed to ensuring that our staff and the people we engage with are safe and vaccination is the best defence against Covid-19 and its variations,” says Deputy Police Commissioner Leadership and Capability Tania Kura.

'Our frontline staff work in close proximity with Police employees and this policy will provide safety for our employees while reinforcing the safety of our frontline staff and of our communities.”

The new policy was approved by the Police Executive Leadership Team yesterday and follows a consultation period with staff in December and after feedback from the Police Association and the Police Managers' Guild.

'We are committed to delivering the policing service that New Zealanders expect and deserve and to achieve this we need our staff to be vaccinated and protected against Covid-19.”

Ahead of the February 11 deadline, police will be communicating with staff affected and encouraging those who are yet to be vaccinated to get their first dose.