If they believe you are at risk and the Police cannot take you home or to a temporary shelter, they could detain you in a police interview room.
‘At risk’ can mean you are:
If you are under 18 years old and the Police believe you are at risk, they will try to take you home.
If you do not want to be taken home, they will put you into the custody of Oranga Tamariki. Oranga Tamariki will try to find a temporary shelter for you.
The Police might end up taking you into custody while waiting for an Oranga Tamariki social worker, or if Oranga Tamariki cannot find a suitable place for you.
In this situation, the Police should put you in an interview room at the police station and supervise you.
You can only be held in police custody following an arrest for more than 24 hours if the Police and Oranga Tamariki believe that:
If this happens, the Police and Oranga Tamariki are required to bring you before the court as soon as possible.
If you are aged 14-17 and have been charged with an offence and are in the Youth Court, the judge may order you to be remanded in police custody, (held in a police cell) while waiting for a bed to become available in an Oranga Tamariki residence.
The judge can only order that you are remanded in police custody if the judge believes that:
If this happens, the Youth Court must review your placement in police custody every 24 hours.
If you are aged 12-13, you cannot be in police custody for more than 24 hours, while waiting to appear in the Youth Court.
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