I’d love to be a cop, but…
A busy life and young kids at home are no barrier to serving your community by joining Police, as two women who recently joined our ranks can testify.
Constables Cheyenne Leach and Renine Stansloski – with seven children between them - proudly took their place when Recruit Wing 332 graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College in November.
They were appropriately sent on their way by New Zealand’s most famous working mum - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, guest of honour at the graduation.
Here Cheyenne and Renine share their stories…
Cheyenne, 32, from Napier, Hawke’s Bay, whakapapas to Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Kahungunu (Nuhaka).
Joining Police has been an ambition since she was 15 - she always wanted to help solve problems and work with the community.
“The care and protection Police provide is something I’ve always admired. It’s something I try to replicate with my family and friends - I naturally thought I would fit in,” she says.
After leaving school early with no qualifications, Cheyenne thought her dream would remain just that – an unachievable dream.
She met and fell in love with her partner at 18 and they now share four children aged between 8 and 14.
As she worked in a variety of jobs she gained valuable experience and knowledge, but the ambition to join Police never left her. In 2015, aged 28, she took the first step by filling out the online application form.
“Four years later, a couple of different courses, two applications with many hurdles, a lot of up and downs, some sweat and tears and on 5 August 2019 - I finally got my chance.
“In Wing 332 I got to train and study alongside some of the most amazing people, who I will never forget.
“The most challenging aspect for me was the academic side of things - this was not my strong point, but I got the necessary training to be able to push me through.
“Being away from family at weeks at a time, missing my kids and my partner was also hard.”
Two working parents managing a busy home is enough of a challenge. Factoring in a 16-week residential course was something else.
“Looking at joining Police was going to need a lot of planning and preparation, but having good family support and a loving partner to hold base in the real world can make it happen.
“My advice would be to believe in yourself - if you know in your heart and in your soul that this is the path you want to go for and follow, do it.
“Let nothing stop you from succeeding in what you know what’s right for you and your babies. Make sure you let your children know what you are doing and why you are doing it.”
Cheyenne is relocating to Tasman District from Hawke’s Bay and is determined to make the most of the experience with those she treasures most.
“I’m looking forward to all the great opportunities in Tasman and the challenges policing will bring. It’s going to be an exciting change for my little family.”
“It was one of my proudest moments,” says Renine, reflecting on standing shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow recruits – and wearing the korowai of the Royal New Zealand Police College.
She won the top prize in Wing 332, another accolade to add to an already impressive catalogue of achievements.
Renine, 35 and a mother of three children aged between 2 and 7, had recently moved back to New Zealand after 15 years living in the United States.
She was recruited out of high school for a sports scholarship at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and transferred to the University of Tulsa in Tulsa Oklahoma on a scholarship there for Track and Cross Country.
She wanted to bring her family home to New Zealand and wanted a career that gave her purpose, and opportunities to make a difference. She picked New Zealand Police.
“I enjoyed all the challenges that recruitment and college life presented,” she says. “Getting the email that I was assigned to a wing was a huge highlight.
“In college I really enjoyed all the scenarios we participated in and all of the physical conditioning.”
Renine found the biggest challenge was being away from family for 16 weeks. That, and building her upper body strength.
“I’ve always been a distance runner so incorporating weights and push-ups into my training was a new challenge, so I worked hard on that.
“As a mum, I believe women will bring many great skills to the police. There will be other mums - and dads - at college who really understand what you are going through being away from your family.
“While 16 weeks is a really long time, they keep you so busy that time really does fly. The whole recruitment and college team were very supportive and understanding throughout the process.”
Renine says the support of her husband and parents enabled her to focus on the task at hand.
“They took care of everything back home so I could focus on doing the best I could. FaceTime helped a lot, and knowing that being away isn’t forever.”
After taking countless challenges in her stride, Renine is pleased her three children are proud of her latest feat.
“My kids think it’s really cool to have mum being a police officer. They especially love my police hat.”
- If you would like to know more about a career in policing, go to www.newcops.co.nz/