Manukau District Court have been trialling victim video statements at family violence call outs over the past year and police say they will be rolled out across the entire Counties Manukau district.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the police have changed their approach to family harm and one of the changes includes piloting the use of video victim statements, rather than written statements.
The video statements are currently only running in half of Counties Manukau and Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Ellwood said they are looking at trialling them across the whole district in the next couple of months.
"It will extend down into Papakura and the Franklin areas."
Mr Ellwood said it gives a better experience for victims going through court and the best evidence.
"Being fresh and in the complainant's words, there's real power in that. There’s no confusion or scope for misinterpreting it's there in full colour for people to see."
He said the video statements also save time for the police and the victims.
"On average, it takes 76 minutes for a written statement but only 10 minutes for a video statement.
"With mums at home the last thing they want to do is go to the police station to write up a statement when their kids are in bed."
-By 1 News intern Grace Stanton
SHARE ME