Long-serving ethnic officer retiring with 'immense' gratitude

Auckland police's ethnic responsiveness manager, Jessica Phuang, is retiring on Friday after serving the community for more than two decades.

Born in Singapore and raised in Malaysia, the 70-year-old moved to New Zealand 38 years ago.

Phuang initially landed a job as a hotel reservations manager, before quitting to volunteer for several years to help Asian migrants settle into the country.

"By word of mouth, they started ... to contact me and come to see me and sort of get advice here and there," Phuang said.

"I find this kind of service very rewarding."

In 2003, Phuang secured a role as a police Asian liaison officer in Auckland and hasn't looked back since.

The Asian population has grown rapidly in Auckland since the early 1990s, growing from just 5 percent in 1991 to more than 25 percent in 2018, according to Auckland Council.

Speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, Malay and other Chinese dialects, Phuang's language abilities proved handy.

However, she still described her early days as "scary".

"There was nothing in the computer system about Asians at all, so it's almost like we [had] to invent everything," she said.

"I love it because it's like giving me a blank sheet of paper and allow[ing] me to paint whatever colors I want[ed]," she said.

"So I started painting."

Phuang founded the country's first Asian advisory board, featuring people from the Indian, Sri Lankan, Korean, Chinese and Japanese communities, as these were the larger Asian groups at the time.

"There were quite a lot of differences, especially with the cultures and the understanding of New Zealand laws compared to their home countries," Phuang said.

"So, we set up a lot of ... seminars, educating them, making sure that they understand [the situation in New Zealand]."

As the number of Asian international student arrivals grew, Phuang launched an International Student Ambassadors initiative in 2014.

Under this, participating institutions sent two representatives to meet police each month.

"I would invite speakers from internal police to speak to them, so they do see police in blue uniform and, [as each month] went by, it broke [down] barriers," she said.

"They warmed up to the police," she said.

"They trusted the police. They were brave to ask questions, and their job was to bring whatever they learned back to their schools and share it with [other] students."

The ambassadors were rewarded with certificates and an opportunity to do mock interviews to help them get prepared for the job market, she said.

The student ambassadors' programme captured the attention of then-race relations commissioner Dame Susan Devoy, which led to the launch of the Auckland Agency Group that focused on student well-being as well as the launch of an International Student Wellbeing Strategy, Phuang said.

The programme was in the process of being revived after stopping during the Covid-19 pandemic, she said.

To help police officers better engage with the community, Phuang launched a Mandarin Chinese language programme in 2018.

"I think so far ... we've got about 60 frontline officers who have learned [Mandarin] and ... not just learning the language, but also the culture," she said.

"I think learning cultures is very important."

Ethnic responsiveness manager

In 2019, Phuang was appointed as the ethnic responsiveness manager in Auckland - the very first such role in the country.

"I really want to acknowledge the New Zealand Police for their great insight of understanding the wider necessity of where we are moving forward," she said.

The monthly meetings with community leaders when she was a liaison officer formed the basis for a "social cohesion meeting" she held regularly in her new role.

Each month, prevention seminars are held for the 37 ethnic groups involved, with participants passing the information they acquired to their respective communities.

"It's proven so successful, not just about learning prevention, because it's not just about the police," Phuang said.

"We also invite speakers from other government agencies. We [had] Serious Fraud, Biosecurity, Immigration."

Phuang was pleased to see isolated community groups starting to engage with each other through the monthly meetings, inviting each other to their events.

"For me, that is such a great way to be in harmony with each other because when we don't understand cultures, that's where we can start to mistrust," she said. "If we know each other, that's where we can gain trust and confidence in each other.

"If we can all support each other, I think we will be so proud as New Zealanders," she said. "We are doing it, [and] we need to keep encouraging it."

Controversial police trips

The media spotlight fell on Phuang in 2024 after reports emerged that she had helped to facilitate unofficial police trips to China.

"I'm passionate about sharing cultures, and that's exactly what was in my mind at that time," Phuang said.

"When we started that Mandarin class ... I felt if something was to come out - that they could actually go and witness [the culture] - it's even better," she said. "That [was] only in my mind, nothing else."

Phuang said she had secured approval for the trips from the district leadership as per police protocol.

The trips were private and self-funded, and all staff involved in the trip were on leave, she said.

Phuang said she didn't know the official who was photographed with the group in Hubei province in 2024, adding that he was invited by the travel agency that arranged the trip.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority said it had received one complaint related to the China trips and had responded to the complainant but did not launch an investigation.

'Champion for people'

Superintendent Scott Gemmell, director of Auckland partnerships, has worked with Phuang in various roles since 2018.

"Very few could say from beginning their career to the time of retirement they have worked with a single devotion to community policing," Gemmell said.

"Most will traverse a number of roles and career paths, but Jessica's is unique."

Gemmell described Phuang as tenacious and unwavering in her push for social inclusion.

She also carried herself with integrity and dignity, he said.

"She is tireless in her work, devoting day and night to her communities. She is respectful and empathic to the plight of others. She could be described as a champion for people," Gemmell said.

"She has taught many leaders in police, including myself, that traditional policing models and practices can be moulded for our time and that partnerships with community bring sustainable solutions to crime problems."

Daljit Singh, a spokesperson for the Supreme Sikh Society, said he had known Phuang for almost three decades.

"She is a very dedicated worker," Singh said.

"Her tireless efforts and genuine care for people will leave a lasting impact on many communities.

"She [has earned] deep respect and admiration for the way she built trust and understanding."

Singh said Phuang had told him she would continue to work with the community.

"I'm very keen to continue to work along with her regardless of whether she's in the police or not," he said. "We will maintain our relationship with her."

'Immense' gratitude

Phuang was happy to have been given an opportunity to do something for the police and ethnic communities, but said there was still plenty to do.

New Zealand was a young country compared to other nations, and plenty of work was needed to better serve new immigrants and refugees, she said.

"What I've done is just a very small part of all the good things that a lot of people have done," she said. "But, most importantly, I'm very grateful that I was given this opportunity to at least do that little bit for the people.

"I know I'll be still around the communities because they already said you can retire from the police, but you can't retire from us, so I don't think I'll be retiring from them," she said with a laugh.

Phuang appreciated the opportunity to work with police for the community.

"I felt like I've been doing this conducting in a big orchestra and I'm so grateful [for] all these musicians - the communities, the service providers, the team members, my colleagues - to play this beautiful piece of music," Phuang said.

"That gratitude is so immense ... I'm so thankful."