Editing Tokelau (section)

==Defence and police==
Consistent with the principles of partnership with New Zealand, defence is the responsibility of the New Zealand Government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tokelau.org.nz/Tokelau+Government.html |title=Tokelau Government |access-date=21 August 2023|website=Government of Tokelau }}</ref> The [[New Zealand Defence Force]] has responsibilities for protecting the territory as well as its offshore [[exclusive economic zone]] (EEZ). The total offshore EEZ is about 300,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tokelau.org.nz/About+Us.html |title=TOKELAU a true Small Island Developing State |access-date=21 August 2023|website=Government of Tokelau }}</ref> Vessels of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] are employed for this task including its {{sclass2|Protector|offshore patrol vessel|1}}s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/assets/Uploads/DocumentLibrary/NavyToday_Issue261.pdf |title=Illegal Fishing Targeted |access-date=21 August 2023|website=Navy Today |date=December 2021}}</ref> Tokelau has its own customs regulations.<ref>[https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1991/0004/1.0/whole.html Tokelau Customs Regulations 1991]</ref>

Given Tokelau's limited wharf facilities, the Navy's multi-role ship, {{HMNZS|Canterbury|L421|6}}, has been employed to provide logistics support to the territory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/navy/what-we-do/humanitarian-assistance-and-disaster-relief/a-hard-to-reach-place/ |title=Tokelau: A hard place to reach |access-date=21 August 2023|website=New Zealand Defence Force |date=4 November 2020}}</ref>

Little crime has been reported in Tokelau and a total of nine police officers were reported as present as of the early 2020s: three each on Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu. According to the Government they are responsible to the village authorities for the enforcement of law and order and to the public service for their various civil duties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tokelau.org.nz/About+Us/Government.html |title=Government |access-date=21 August 2023|website=Government of Tokelau }}</ref>