New Zealand Police welcomed 51 new officers today as wing 373 celebrated their success in front of whānau and friends.
In attendance was Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster with members of the Police executive, The Hon Nicole McKee, Minister for Courts and the Associate Minister of Justice, along with patron Caroline Flora.
Caroline Flora, Chief Censor - Kairāhui Whakaaturanga Poumatua says "Every recruit's choice to join New Zealand Police is a testament to their character and commitment to a brighter future. We, your fellow public servants, and the communities you serve, are proud of you."
This wing is made up of several officers with family currently serving or who have previously served in Police including some who have policed in overseas jurisdictions.
Some recruits are tertiary educated and some hold trade certificates. Many have been volunteers or are still volunteering alongside their new policing careers.
Several the 373 recruits list their hobbies as hunting and fishing - from deerstalking and pig hunting to free diving or big-game fishing.
The wing includes a number ex-military from New Zealand and abroad.
The Leadership Award winner for this wing is Constable Kayla Ness.
Kayla is a former early childhood teacher and digital marketing specialist. She says "I am ready for a career change. I have watched my partner really enjoy his role as a Police officer, and with his encouragement I've moved to a job that I really want. I have always liked public-facing jobs and can't wait to take a more active role in the community."
Kayla will be based in Counties Manukau District.
The Minister's Award for Top of Wing, after the collation of all course assessments goes to Constable Jakob Parry.
Prior to joining police, Constable Parry worked in retail and customer service. He's played Canoe Polo at a National Level and has represented New Zealand overseas for this sport. "Joining the Police has always appealed to me ever since I was kid. I want to be able to do a job where I know I am actively making a difference in the community, and I know this will happen in the Police."
Jakob is posted to Central District.
Patron: Caroline Flora
Caroline Flora is a leader in the public sector who has committed her career to harm prevention.
Caroline is New Zealand's Chief Censor. She was appointed to the role in July 2022 and leads Te Mana Whakaatu - Classification Office, which is an Independent Crown Entity.
She trained as a lawyer before entering the public sector, where she has had experience in senior roles at Police and the Ministry of Health.
Having undertaken a master's in law and a post-graduate Certificate in Children's Issues, the focus of Caroline's professional career has been on reducing and preventing harm to children, families, and communities. She continues that harm reduction kaupapa in her role as Chief Censor.
Caroline is responsible for protecting New Zealanders, especially tamariki and rangatahi, from the harms that can come from depictions of sex, crime, cruelty, horror, and violence in media. Upholding the right to freedom of expression and recognising the diverse views of all Kiwis is at the heart of this work. Caroline is passionate about her work and is focused on the evolving role regulation plays in today's digital world.
Awards:
Minister's Award recognising top student: Constable Jakob Parry, posted to Central District.
Patron's Award for second in wing, recognising second top student and the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Luca Soares Gonzalez, posted to Canterbury District.
Commissioner's Award for Leadership: Constable Kayla Ness, posted to Counties Manukau District.
Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Jason Tokareta, posted to Counties Manukau District.
Firearms Award: Constable Corey Betham, posted to Counties Manukau District.
Deployment:
The entire wing will disperse to the following districts the week starting Monday 4 March.
Tāmaki Makaurau a total of 12: Auckland City - 2, Counties Manukau - 10, Northland - 4, Waikato - 2, Bay of Plenty - 3, Eastern - 3, Central - 6, Wellington - 9, Tasman - 2, Canterbury - 6, Southern - 4.
Demographics:
25.5 percent are female, and 68.6 percent are male. New Zealand European make up 68.6 percent of the wing, with Māori 15.7 percent, Pasifika 13.7 percent and Asian 2 percent.
Local media will be supplied with stories of some new staff heading to their district. The Police Media Centre will be in touch with photographs and notes next week.
Also look out for a Ten One Magazine story that will be published on the Police website with more stories and photos about our recruits tackling work in their first week.
