Rotorua, New Zealand – Will Loughrin officially assumed command of the Bay of Plenty Police District today, following a pōhiri (welcoming ceremony) at Te Papaiouru Maraea in Ōhinemutu. The transfer of leadership, described as part of “one of the biggest leadership changes in police in over 100 years,” comes as Superintendent Loughrin steps into the role after serving as acting district commander for Waikato.
The ceremony included a formal welcome from Te Arawa kaumātua, including former deputy police commissioner Wallace Haumaha, who retired recently after 40 years of service. Haumaha acknowledged the challenges of the position but expressed confidence in Loughrin’s ability to lead, stating he had the support of the community. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale, a personal friend of Loughrin’s, also attended the pōhiri, expressing his enthusiasm for the new district commander.
Loughrin, who joined the police force at age 19, addressed the crowd with a touch of self-awareness regarding his relatively young age for such a senior position. “And I guess the elephant in the room, yes, I’m young, this isn’t a Botox regime… But I’ve always based my career on caring for the people, listening, having an open heart and mind. Getting things wrong but always learning from them and never fearing failure,” he said.
His career began in Counties Manukau before a move to Waikato in 2011. He has extensive experience as an investigator, having worked in investigation workgroups across Auckland, Waikato, and Eastern districts. Prior to his appointment to the Bay of Plenty, Loughrin also served as director of integrity and conduct at Police National Headquarters.
Loughrin’s background is steeped in policing tradition; his father served as a chief detective inspector in the Hong Kong Police. He described the recent leadership changes within the police force as significant. Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers, present from Wellington, emphasized the importance of support for leaders in these demanding roles, urging those present to “not let them stand alone, stand with them.”
A descendant of the Tapsell family, with whakapapa connections to Maketū, Loughrin expressed a personal connection to the region. He described returning to the area as a “huge privilege,” stating, “I said, ‘I didn’t know, but it just feels right being here’… It’s a real honour to come back to a place I whakapapa back to.” The Tapsell family has deep roots in the Bay of Plenty, with Retireti Tapsell, also known as Tāpihana, being the son of Phillip Tapsell, a trader, and Hineitūrama Ngātiki, a high-ranking member of Ngāti Whakaue. The family’s history includes displacement during conflict in the early 19th century, eventually finding refuge on Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua.
Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū holds a significant connection to the area, as Maketū is considered the landing place of the Te Arawa waka and is often referred to as “Te Ipukarea o Te Arawa.”