Hurimoana Dennis has been stripped of his duties as a police inspector, but remains the chair of a prominent south Auckland marae.

One of the two policemen found not guilty of kidnapping a boy in order to end a teenage love affair says he and his fellow officer simply "cared too much".

Inspector Hurimoana Dennis and Sergeant Vaughan Perry were cleared of trying to force a 17-year-old boy to end a relationship with a 15-year-old girl by locking him in a cell and forcing him to move to Australia at the request of his family.

A jury at the High Court in Auckland found the pair not guilty of the young man's mock arrest.

"The last two and a half years, and indeed the last two weeks, have been absolutely humiliating for me and my family," Dennis said.

READ MORE:

* Police kidnapping trial: Inspector's actions 'an abuse of power and authority', court hears

* Police kidnapping trial: Teen lovers 'not Romeo and Juliet' - defence

* Police kidnapping trial: Inspector's approach 'was highly unusual' - Australian police

He said his involvement with the teenager could be best described as "practical, commonsense, big picture policing, with a bit of heart".

"The only thing that Vaughan and I have done wrong is be very proud Māori officers, who were quite vocal about the number of young Māori men coming into the judicial system.

"The only other thing we've done wrong is we just cared too much. In the end there's no winners for this situation. For the families, for the young people, for the officers involved," he said.

"I wish the young people well in their very young lives. I hope they pick better role models as they move forward in their lives."

The jury reached a verdict about 12pm on Thursday, after a total of four hours.

It began deliberations on Wednesday afternoon but retired for the night, before resuming on Thursday morning.

The trial had scrutinised police strategy and the role of tikanga Māori, or cultural values, in New Zealand law.

In May 2015 the teenager was processed and locked in a cell at the Auckland Central Police station as if he had been arrested in what the Crown presented as an attempt to scare him into agreeing to end the relationship with his girlfriend.

The Crown alleged the 17-year-old was given an ultimatum by Dennis in the cells: start a new life in Australia without his 15-year-old girlfriend, or be charged with statutory rape.

Dennis was a family friend and the mock arrest occurred over concerns the teen was having underage sex.

The next day, the young man was allegedly put on a plane to Australia to stay with extended family, believing he had no other choice.

Dennis' lawyer Steve Bonnar QC argued the teenager's evidence wasn't supported by other witnesses, and that Dennis was a respected and conscientious leader in the Māori community.

The teen had always understood, Bonnar argued, that Dennis was taking him on a temporary visit to the cells, for a lesson about the consequences of his actions.

The defence also contended the mock arrest had been in line with tikanga Māori or cultural values, and police strategy for reducing Māori crime.

Meanwhile, Crown Prosecutor Brian Dickey argued that in his dealings with the teen, Dennis was not acting as an objective police officer.

Instead, he served as an enforcer to the teenager's whānau's wishes that he move to Australia, which "takes us into a realm of abuse of power and authority".

Following the allegations Dennis was stripped of his duties as a police inspector, but remains the chair of a prominent south Auckland marae.

Outside court Dennis gave a statement to media, saying, "The last two and a half years, and indeed the last two weeks, have been absolutely humiliating for me and my family."

He said his involvement with the teen could be best described as "practical, commonsense, big picture policing, with a bit of heart".

"The only thing that Vaughan and I have done wrong is be very proud Māori officers, who were quite vocal about the number of young Māori men coming into the judicial system.

"The only other thing we've done wrong is we just cared too much. In the end there's no winners for this situation. For the families, for the young people, for the officers involved," he said.

"I wish the young people well in their very young lives. I hope they pick better role models as they move forward in their lives."

Dennis thanked his lawyer Steve Bonnar QC and legal counsel Kathryn Maxwell, for his "comprehensive defence".

"As far as I'm concerned, ground-breaking stuff, where they were able to respectfully land the LORE [tikanga Māori] into the whare of the LAW."