Tepure Tapaitau, QPM (died 14 November 2010) was a Cook Islands politician, Cabinet Minister, and Deputy Leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party and also the first Cook Islander to become the Commissioner of Police. In 2002, he was disqualified from Parliament, precipitating a by-election, which he lost. He stood again for the seat as a Democratic Party candidate at the 2004 election, but was unsuccessful. Despite holding the position of deputy leader of the Democratic Party, he did not contest the 2006 election. Tapaitau was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in the 1989 New Year Honours.