Fifty-one recruits are graduating as constables from Wing 213 at The Royal New Zealand Police College on Thursday 11 September 2003, 2:00pm.
Their backgrounds before selection as police recruits are varied. A number have served in the armed forces and several others have trade backgrounds. Also among them is ex Warriors player Kuripitone (Tony) Tatupu, as well as a former bartender, a vet nurse, a househusband and a legal secretary.
Two members of Wing 213 have previously served with overseas police services -- one for 10 years in South Africa specialising as a dog handler and the other as a Detective Sergeant with 16 years’ experience in the United Kingdom.
• 51 recruits will graduate -- 36 males and 15 females.
• 23 will go to the Auckland districts.
• 15 will go to other North Island districts.
• 13 will go to the South Island.
With this wing, the smaller towns of Hawera, Tokoroa and Masterton benefit from postings.
Wing 213 will be joined at their graduation by six police dogs and their handlers who are graduating as operational general-purpose dog teams.
The six dog teams are being posted to Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Wellington, and Christchurch.
Wing 213 prize winners:
• Minister’s Prize for First in Wing was awarded to Constable Andrew Brosnan, posted to Henderson.
• Commissioner’s Prize for Second in Wing was awarded to Constable Graham Du Toit, posted to Lower Hutt.
Constable Du Toit was also awarded the Physical Education Trophy and the Ericsson Communications I&T Prize.
• Patron’s Prize for Third in Wing was awarded to Constable Michelle Bentley, posted to Auckland Central.
• The Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training was awarded to Constable Brent Homan, posted to Henderson.
• The Prater Memorial Practical Trophy was awarded to Constable Eric Tibbott, posted to the Traffic Alcohol Group (TAG) in Porirua.
Constable Tibbott was also awarded the International Police Association Prize for Driver Training.
• The Jesson Forensics Prize for Fingerprint Techniques was awarded to Constable Lynette Grace, posted to Invercargill.
Police Association Prizes for Sectional Achievement:
This prize is awarded to an individual from each section who, in the collective view of the members of the section and the wing instructors, made the greatest contribution to the overall success of the team.
Section One Constable Nicola Davies, posted to Hawera.
Section Two Constable Geoffrey McLean, posted to Christchurch.
Section Three Constable Michael Wardle, posted to Christchurch.
Wing Patron: Sir Angus Tait, Patron of Wing 213
Sir Angus Tait is one of New Zealand’s most innovative business leaders and a cornerstone of this country’s flourishing high-tech sector.
His schoolboy interest in electronics led to a remarkable 60-year career in radio communications. He left Waitaki Boys High School to work in a local radio store and later served with the RAF in radar and airborne communications during the Second World War. Returning to New Zealand he put that experience to good use, going into business designing and building mobile radio equipment. He recovered from the set-back of receivership in 1968 to create his second company, Tait Electronics Ltd, which has grown to become one of the world’s leading suppliers of a complete range of mobile radio equipment, with product in use in almost 100 countries.
Sir Angus has grown his company around the unusual business philosophy of reinvesting virtually all profit in research and development and the latest manufacturing technology. "Our technology is our sword. We keep it sharp and bright."
Sir Angus has rejected offers for his company from several international industry giants and has ensured all of the company’s manufacturing is carried out here in New Zealand, rather than Asia where labour rates are cheaper. Several of New Zealand’s other leading technology companies were founded by Tait people branching out on their own, prompting one such entrepreneur, John Croft, to term Sir Angus, "the giant oak of the New Zealand electronics industry".
Sir Angus continues to play a hands-on role with Tait Electronics in his capacity as company chairman.