Fifty seven new recruits will be attested as constables and graduate from their initial training tomorrow and will start in their districts on Monday 5 September.
The wing members will be deployed to every Police district in New Zealand.
They are a diverse group who have worked in roles such as personal trainers, scientists, chefs, plumbers, youth workers and soldiers to name a few.
Some have come from all over the world; Brazil, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Samoa, Taiwan and even Pakistan to join the New Zealand police.
Recruit Atif Juma-Khan Came to New Zealand in 2015 as a refugee, aged 17. "Being born and raised in Pakistan as an Afghan refugee, I have always seen people and different organisations helping people (like me) in need which really made me want to give back to needy communities. I think I can do this very well in New Zealand Police and that is why I chose to become a police officer here in my adoptive country." Atif will be posted to Auckland City District.
Following on from the Puhikura Campaign, https://www.newcops.govt.nz/puhikura the 357 wing has welcomed Recruit Layce Walker - Ngāti Porou. "Joining the police is something I have wanted to do since I was younger. Growing up, domestic violence wasn't foreign to me so making a difference by protecting our tamariki, whanau and homes is something I have always wanted to do.
I worked in the health sector for five and a half years in Palmerston North as a community support worker, supporting people who experience mental health disorders. It was working in this sector where I began to feel like I could offer more to my community and influenced me to put my application in."
Alongside Layce is Recruit Tori-Anne Barton - Ngāti Maniapoto and Tainui. Tori-Anne was working as a youth facilitator/youth coach at Te Wananga o Aotearoa Youth Services and juggling being a mother at the same time. "Joining the police is something I have always wanted to do as a child, but the Physical Appraisal Test (PAT) always put me off and was something I thought I could never achieve. I decided to change my mindset and put the mahi in to make it happen!" Layce will be posted to Central District and Tori-Anne is posted to Waikato.
Recruit Liam Guthrie is from a proud police background. "My great-uncle Sergeant Stewart Guthrie was awarded the George Cross posthumously for his bravery at Aramoana in 1990 where he lost his life. My dad, is a superintendent at PNHQ and my sister is a police member too." Although I am immensely proud of my families' service and sacrifice, this wasn't my only motivation for joining police. Most of all I wanted an exciting, challenging and people focussed job and to do something that was different to the standard 9 to 5 job.
Liam is a Second Lieutenant in the Territorial Force Army and plans to stay an active member while growing his police career. Liam has a Bachelor of Science with Honours specialising in Neuroscience from Otago University. Liam will be posted to Wellington District.
Wing Patron Ed Sims is highly regarded for his leadership and governance experience in both the private and public sector. Ed's career of over 35 years has been spent in the aviation, tourism and hospitality industries. Mr Sims has been on New Zealand Police's independent Assurance and Risk Committee (ARC). He served on ARC for four years and made a significant contribution to Police with his positive dynamic, strategic insights and broad experience.
Awards
Minister's Award recognising top student - Constable Darin Kingi, Bay of Plenty District.
Patron's Award for Second in Wing, recognising second top student - Constable Gavin Roos, Waitemata District.
Commissioner's Award for Leadership - Constable Jaman Mercier, Central District.
Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award - Constable Darin Kingi, Bay of Plenty District.
Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award - Constable Tarhys Ibbetson, Bay of Plenty District.
Firearms Award - Constable Ryan Bush, Counties Manukau District.
Deployment
The wing will disperse to the following districts:
Northland - 3, Waitematā - 5, Auckland City - 6, Counties Manukau - 8, Waikato - 6 Bay of Plenty - 6 , Eastern - 2, Central - 7, Wellington - 4 , Tasman - 1, Canterbury - 5, Southern - 4
Wing demographics
31.6 percent are female, and 68.4 percent are male. NZ European make up 70.2 percent of the wing, with Māori 10.5 percent, Pacific 10.5 percent, Asian 7 percent and Latin America, Africa and Middle East (LAAM) 1.8 percent.
