IR-01-25-43727
9 March 2026
Elspeth Baker-Vevers
[FYI request #33061 email]
Tēnā koe Elspeth
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 30 November 2025. You
asked for information regarding ADHD in Police. We apologise for the delay in getting this
response to you.
Please note that Police recognise that there is a wide spectrum of neurodiversity,
including ADHD. Police engage with neurodivergent people every day, and acknowledge
that some interactions may present particular chal enges.
Police is committed to providing the best service possible for everyone, and focuses its
work to improve interactions and engagement with D/deaf, disability, and neurodiverse
communities.
When answering your questions below, please note that some of the information I have
considered within scope of your request may not be specific to ADHD, but may refer more
broadly to neurodivergence.
My response to each part of your request can be found below.
1.
Any policies, practice guidance, or training materials since 2015 that mention ADHD
in the context of: -mental-health-related police response-youth justice or youth
offending-custody, detention, or vulnerability assessments -frontline or emergency
response -risk assessment or identification of additional needs.
Police do not have any specific policies that provide specific guidance regarding ADHD in
the context of:
-
Mental health related police response
-
Youth justice or youth offending
-
Custody, detention, or vulnerability assessments
-
Frontline or emergency response
- Risk assessment or identification of additional needs.
Police have identified the fol owing guidance that provides mention of ADHD or may fit
some information you are searching for. Where the chapter is publicly available, a link
has been provided to you. Where it is not, it has been compiled in a pack attached to this
letter.
-
Arrests and detenti
on https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/arrest-and-
detention-police-manual-chapter
-
Investigative Interviewing – witnesses requiring special consideration
https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/investigative-interviewing-police-
manual-chapter
-
Investigative Interviewing – suspects requiring special consideration
https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/investigative-interviewing-police-
manual-chapter
-
Youth Justic
e https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/youth-justice-
police-manual-chapter
-
Use of Force (Overview)
https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/use-
force-police-manual-chapters
- People with mental distress and disorders (attached).
Police have also provided you with the
neurodiversity training resource that is used in
recruit training, and the
Neurodevelopmental Disorders – Call Taker Interaction guide that
helps Police staff better identify and manage calls from neurodivergent cal ers.
2.
Any data, studies, analysis, or internal reporting that identifies or discusses
ADHD prevalence or indicators among people who come into Police contact,
including (where available): -youth, adults, or repeat-contact groups -descriptive
statistics, prevalence estimates, or indicators -aggregated or anonymised insights
relating to ADHD. If any Māori data governance or Māori equity considerations
were applied when deciding whether to collect, categorise, or monitor ADHD-
related information, please provide the relevant documents.
Police recognise the wide spectrum of neurodiversity, and therefore, do not specifically
capture information regarding ADHD. This means that there is no information in Police
systems that is specifically coded as ADHD, and therefore, not easily searchable.
Because Police do not specifically track information about those with ADHD, Police also
do not undertake studies, analysis or international reporting about those they interact with
who have ADHD. Therefore, this part of your request has been refused under section
18(e) of the Official Information Act 1982, as this information does not exist.
While this does not refer to ADHD specifically, in 2022 Police launched a programme of
research called
Understanding Policing Delivery. This programme explored who Police
stop, how Police engage with them, and how Police make decisions around the use of
force and charging. As part of this work, the Donald Beasley Institute undertook research
focusing on tāngata whaikaha, D/deaf, and disabled people. The research explored
whether, where and to what extent bias exists in Police decision-making, and the
definitions of neurodivergence include ADHD, dyslexia and autism. These reports are
publicly available and can be found here:
https://www.police.govt.nz/about-
us/programmes-and-initiatives/understanding-policing-delivery/research#anchor5.
3.
Any documents since 2015 relating to coordination with: -Ministry of Health-
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry of Justice-Department of Corrections where ADHD is
referenced in relation to Police operations, youth justice, mental-health response,
or data systems.
Police work closely with the Ministry of Health, Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry of Justice,
and the Department of Corrections. To search for any documents between Police and
these agencies to find where ADHD is referenced in relation to Police operations, youth
justice, mental-health response, or data systems over a 10-year period would require
substantial research to ascertain if there were any documents within scope. Therefore,
this part of your request has been refused under section 18(f) of the Official Information
Act 1982, due to the substantial research and collation required.
To assist you, Police have identified 3 documents within scope of your request between
Police and Oranga Tamariki. These documents are:
-
Police and Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children MOU
-
Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children Schedule – Reporting and Managing
Missing Children and Young People in Care
- Specialist Child Interview Guide June 2025
4.
Acknowledgement of limitations or gaps Any internal documents, reports, or
correspondence acknowledging: -limitations in recognising or recording ADHD -
gaps in data col ection or system capability -barriers to identifying or supporting
people with ADHD during Police contact, custody, or youth interactions.
5.
If ADHD is not explicitly tracked or recorded as a separate category, please: -
confirm this-state under which broader operational or data category ADHD
related matters would fal (e.g., mental health, behavioural, vulnerability,
cognitive) -provide any data dictionaries, coding guidance, or classification
standards that show how ADHD-related needs are categorised in Police systems.
ADHD is not explicitly tracked or recorded, and there is no classification standards or
guidance for how ADHD related needs are specifical y categorised in Police systems.
In 2024, Police launched a
Disability and Special Considerations Noting in its National
Intel igence Application (NIA) for those who are disabled or need special consideration
when interacting with Police. The noting is designed to assist Police when interacting with
those part of the D/deaf and disabled communities, by allowing them to tel Police about
their disability and how it may affect their interactions with Police. Information that is
relevant to operational policing is recorded in this noting with consent, and the information
is provided by the person, or their guardian/caregiver where appropriate. Please note that
this information is personal information, and the content of each noting is not tracked or
reported on.
6.
Recruitment and medical eligibility policies (workforce) Any recruitment, medical
assessment, or candidate screening policies, guidelines, internal advice, or
training materials since 2015 that reference: -ADHD-the use of ADHD
medication, including stimulants -considerations used when medical y clearing or
screening applicants with ADHD.
In 2024, Police reviewed the constabulary recruitment medical standards regarding
ADHD. An independent psychiatrist review found that medical standards for constabulary
applicants should be updated to allow for those with ADHD and using stimulant
medication to apply. Pursuant to section 16(1)(e) of the Official Information Act 1982, a
summary has been prepared of the policy recommendations based on a guideline of the
review carried out in September 2024. You can find this summary attached to this letter.
The medical standards are publicly available on our New Cops website
https://www.newcops.govt.nz/sites/default/files/New%20Zealand%20Police%20Medical%
20Standards.pdf
There is no training material that specifical y references the use of ADHD medication. The
Neurodiversity training that is presented during recruit training has already been identified
as within scope and attached.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police
proactively releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the
public. An anonymised version of this response may be publicly released on the New
Zealand Police website.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Tusha Penny
Assistant Commissioner: Road Policing and District Support
New Zealand Police
