Co-convened by University of Canterbury and the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association (GLEPHA), PLEPH2027 is the First Regional Pacific Conference on Law Enforcement & Public Health. It brings police, public health, communities and researchers together to work on shared problems across the Blue Pacific Continent.

It is part of the international LEPH conference series. Since 2012, LEPH conferences have been held in Australia, Europe, the UK, Canada, Africa and the US.

The PLEPH2027 conference theme is: Te Ara Hou: New Pathways | Addressing critical issues in public health and safety in the Blue Pacific Continent.

PLEPH2027 is for anyone working where policing and public health meet, including:

• police and law enforcement agencies
• public health agencies and practitioners
• government and local government policy makers
• universities, researchers and students
• community organisations, NGOs and affected communities
• commercial partners and service providers

You do not need to be an academic. Frontline staff, practitioners and people with lived experience are very welcome.

PLEPH2027 especially welcomes delegates representing the Pacific and Indigenous voices.

No. Everyone is welcome. The program focuses on issues that matter most to the Pacific, with Pacific and Indigenous voices at the centre.

Yes. A respectful space where everyone can speak openly is central to every LEPH conference.

Our conferences bring police, public health workers, researchers and people with lived experience into the same room. That is what makes them work.

We call it a “non-conference conference”. It is not purely academic. Research, practice and lived experience get equal weight.

We’re not a single-subject conference. We bring together many themes and formats.

We improve cross-sector collaboration between policing and public health. Our delegates are willing to step outside their professional boundary. They don’t come if they’re not looking to talk to people outside their field.

We’re a problem-solving conference, a Go-Away-and-Change-a-Person sort of event. We’re solution oriented, not trouble oriented.

We happen to attract optimistic people who are open to new ideas, a culture built since LEPH2012.

Breaks are longer than usual so people can connect, and many sessions are interactive. Our aim is that delegates go home ready to change things.

PLEPH2027, the First Regional Pacific Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference, will spotlight research and good practice from across the Pacific and the world, with a particular focus on Pacific and Indigenous voices

No. We mix research, practice and lived experience, and give them equal weight.

Pre-conference events run on 19 and 20 November.

The main conference runs from the afternoon of Sunday 21 November to Wednesday 24 November mid-afternoon.

No. LEPH Conferences aim to boost face-to-face interactions between people and disciplines.

Registration is not open yet. For now, please register your interest at pacificleph2027.com.au to get updates.

Yes. If you’re not a member yet, join GLEPHAbefore you register.

It is more economical to join GLEPHA and register at the member rate than to pay the standard registration fee.

The main conference runs from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon. Most days start with a plenary for all delegates. Sessions include:

• Plenary sessions: for all delegates, led by keynote speakers
• Major sessions: in-depth sessions on the key themes
• Proffered papers: short talks selected from submitted abstracts
• Marketplace of Ideas: longer sessions for ideas that need more than 10 minutes on a panel

They are one- or two-day meetings on a specific topic, held before the main conference. Smaller groups get time to go deep on their own area, then join the wider conference in the main conference.

Topics being planned include law enforcement and harm reduction in the Pacific, Indigenous-themed events and a postgraduate day.

Morning tea, afternoon tea and a stand-up lunch are provided on full conference days. Please tell us about dietary needs (for example halal, vegetarian, vegan or allergies) when you register.

• a Welcome Reception on the evening of Sunday 21 November
• a meet-up of GLEPHA Special Interest Groups
• other delegate-led events

Please view the Program page Program for new updates on social events.

We welcome many kinds of work, including:

• research findings
• reports of practical experience, evaluated or not
• lived-experience perspectives
• commentaries and theoretical analyses

We especially welcome work that involves both law enforcement and public health, and community-led initiatives.

Abstracts are submitted through the conference website. After an initial check, the Program Committee scores each abstract. We then build the program and send out decisions.

Yes. All presenters must register by the presenter deadline. If you do not register in time, your presentation will be removed from the program.

Check the official rules at Immigration New Zealand website.

If you need a visa, please apply for it early.

Write to us if you need a letter of invitation.

November is late spring in New Zealand. Christchurch weather can change quickly, so pack layers and a rain jacket.

UV levels can be high, so bring sun protection too.

• Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
• Power: 230 volts, with the same plug type as Australia
• Time zone: New Zealand Daylight Time (UTC+13) in November

We strongly recommend travel insurance.

Sponsorship packages are available. Your generosity will help us:

• Bring Pacific people to PLEPH2027 to take part in key conversations and learn about effective solutions on community safety and regional stability
• Bring frontline workers together from law enforcement and public health to build new knowledge, skills and networks
• Make PLEPH2027 more accessible to the general public with lower registration fee

Yes. PLEPH2027 will include an exhibition of products, services and programmes. Please refer to the sponsorship prospectus for details.

It means your organisation agrees to share news of PLEPH2027 (promotional materials will be provided) through your networks and with your members. No financial commitment is needed.

In return, we will feature your logo on the conference website.