It might have taken 16 years, but Constable Franscis Wirihana Roberts has achieved his dream of serving his community as a police officer.
Franscis was working as a security guard in the Far North in 2002 when he was inspired to join Police through his contact with local officers.
“I got an insight to Police, working with the local police officers around Kawakawa, Paihia, Kaikohe, and really loved it. So I rang the 0800 number.”
Disaster struck when he developed shin splints in training and got stood down. “That was pretty emotional - I really wanted to get through.”
For ten years he worked in a contracting firm, then moved from Paihia to Kaitaia, where he started his own building business.
“I met an old friend who’s a police officer in the Kaitaia area, who said to me ‘Have you ever thought about giving it another go?’
"I had but had never really done anything about it - but he opened up that door and gave me that opportunity.
“I went online – it had all changed – and signed up and went through the process from there.”
His 2002 injury had prevented him completing his PAT – the pre-entry Physical Appraisal Test. Now he faced the PAT again – particularly the required 2.4km run - without much confidence.
“I was 118kgs,” he says. “I met Sarah who’s in the recruiting team in Te Tai Tokerau. I said ‘I don’t know how I’m going to go with the running – I haven’t run for six or seven years’.
“She said ‘Just measure out the 2.4kms, run as far as you can then text me to tell me how far you ran’.
“So I got to 600m and texted her: ‘I’m done.’ I had nothing left - my legs were sore, my lungs felt like they were going to burst, but she encouraged me: ‘Keep going, and let me know when you can run the whole distance’.
“It took me about three weeks to get to that and Sarah said ‘Now we’re going to work on your speed’.”
Franscis trained for around five-and-a-half months to get fit enough, overcoming barriers both mental and physical. He says he received amazing support which kept him focused on his motivation for joining Police – his whānau.
“Being Māori, I see a lot of our whānau who struggle with the basic needs of life.
"We’re all brought up with values from our parents, grandparents and whānau at some point in our lives – tika, pono, aroha – but, with the struggles of life, some people have gone a different path.”
The 16 weeks at the Royal New Zealand Police College left Franscis grateful to the college staff - those that prepared the food as well as those who ensured he remembered his lessons. “You can’t thank the staff enough for the mahi they do.”
Graduation day was an emotional rollercoaster. Among the whānau members supporting him, his late parents and grandparents were present in photographs brought by an aunty. “What an awesome feeling that was.”
Franscis was welcomed back to the Far North – along with his Wing 316 colleague Constable Joelle Nattrass – with a pōwhiri at Tumoana, te Kura Kaupapa o Māori Pukemiro in Kaitaia. They are now both based at Kaitaia.
For Franscis, it has been worth the wait. “I love it. I don’t want to take days off – I just want to keep going.”
The Sarah who helped Franscis – Sergeant Sarah Wihongi, of Kaitaia – says his story will be an inspiration to many others.
“Franscis is a humble man but he has battled hard to win his place in blue,” she says. “For 16 years he kept alive his dream of helping his community and now he’s out there, doing it every day.
“He’s a great example – with hard work and the right support you can overcome any barriers which stand in your way.”
Click here for a video of Franscis in conversation with his colleague Constable Doug Te Puni.
Click here to find out more about joining Police at newcops.co.nz.