‘New year, new you’ was never truer than for our newest constables, who started work on the penultimate day of 2004.
The 68 members of Wing 380 graduated on 19 December in front of Police Commissioner Richard Chambers; Police Minister Mark Mitchell; Patron Kate Horan MNZM; Executive members; and an enthusiastic audience of friends, family and other supporters.
In his first graduation in his role, Commissioner Chambers congratulated the new constables – “the heart and soul and face of New Zealand Police” – and welcomed them to the job, which he said could be “very tough, very special”.
He spoke of finding himself, on day two as Commissioner, sharing a flight to Wellington with eight members of Wing 380. “The conversation we had just reminded me of the incredible people we have in our organisation.”
He said spending the past year working with Interpol in France had exposed him to many other police jurisdictions.
“I am yet to find a police jurisdiction or a country that I would want to be a part of like I want to be a part of New Zealand and New Zealand Police,” he said.
“It reminded me of just how good it is to be wearing this uniform and how good it is to be living in a country that doesn’t have many of the challenges that the rest of the world has…
“Sure we’re not perfect but let’s focus on what’s good about being police officers in our country - and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.”
Among the speakers were Commissioner Richard Chambers, Patron Kate Horan MNZM and Leadership award winner Constable Natalie Redstone.
Patron Kate, a three-time Paralympian, urged the new constables to take advantage of the ‘limitless’ opportunities for growth and development ahead of them.
“As your Patron, I couldn’t be prouder,” she told them.
“The journey was about way more than just passing tests and meeting expectations. It was about the values you carry with you – integrity, service and a deep commitment to making our communities safer.
“What you have achieved here speaks to who you are and the kind of leaders you will become in law enforcement.”
In the customary Leadership Award winner’s speech, Constable Natalie Redstone (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu; Bay of Plenty) praised the family and friends who supported the wing members, picking up on a theme from the previous speakers.
“Not only have we joined, but so have our whānau and friends. You are all the real MVPs. You have been on this journey with us and you deserve so much praise.
“On behalf of every new constable here, thank you for the support, love and sacrifices you have all made so we could be standing here today.”
She thanked Patron Kate, praising her example of resilience and the support she gave during training.
Natalie – a mother of three - worked as a learning assistant at a Rotorua school before joining Police. She joins her husband as a police officer and recommends anyone interested in a Police career to attain a good level of fitness first.
She should know – she has competed for the past three years in Brazilian jujitsu and won gold in the Oceania Competition as the New Zealand Grappler, National Gi Champion, in 2023.
First in Wing Constable Scott Maloney, pictured right, (Auckland City) previously worked as an intern in the Prosecutions Service at the North Shore Policing Centre.
“I’m grateful for my background experience and I know it’s helped me in my journey from pōwhiri to graduation,” he says.
“I am eager to make the transition from reviewing files to putting them together, and protecting and serving my community.”
Second in wing Constable Reuel Namburi, pictured right, (Bay of Plenty) was born in Secunderabad, India, and came to New Zealand in 2002. He’s following in the footsteps of his great grandfather who was a police officer in India.
Reuel was previously employed in New Zealand as a Clinical Coordinator for Prison Reintegration, where he worked with men being released from prison and supported their reintegration into society. Reuel has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
“I want to thank my family for their love and support throughout college,” he says. “I look forward to serving my community and helping our most vulnerable in their time of need.”
Constable Hannah Thomas as a recruit and as a competitive canoe slalom ace; and Constable Luciana Haami, right.
Constable Hannah Thomas (Counties Manukau) had two dreams in life – to go to the Olympics in her chosen sport of canoe slalom, and to join Police.
“I made the Great Britain Canoe Slalom team in 2017 and then moved over to New Zealand with my family and started representing New Zealand in 2018,” she says. “I was a full-time athlete but I narrowly missed out on the Olympics and thought to myself ‘It’s time to join Police.
“Police are so supportive of competitive sports people, which is a big thing for me. I applied last year to join and here I am graduating. You have to go into policing knowing that every day is different – embrace the journey.”
Constable Luciana Haami (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi; Central) is another accomplished sportsperson. She was one of the youngest rugby players to debut for the Taranaki Whio, playing in the Farrah Palmer Cup, and she plays halfback for a variety of other teams.
She received the Stratford Youth Citizen’s Award in 2023 and twice received the Taranaki Diocesan school’s Mana Wāhine Award, which recognises an outstanding Māori student at the school each year. Before Police, she was a teacher’s aide.
“My favourite thing at college was firearms training,” she says. “It was completely new to me, and there were some challenging skills to learn - it was awesome and if I could do it again, I would.
“As far as getting through Police College goes, I believe it takes a village to get here and I can’t thank mine enough for their help.”
Constables Jordan Teneti, Piper Donaldson and Rachel Glasier came to the RNZPC as pioneers.
They were members of a trial programme which saw them working in the File Management Centre in Tairawhiti, gaining insights into Police while working in a supportive environment that helped them meet their recruitment milestones.
Our photo above shows, from left: Michelle Newport, FMC Eastern; Piper; Commissioner Chambers; Rachel; Superintendent Blair McDonald, Director Service Group; Tracey Hawkins, FMC Site Supervisor for Eastern; Minister Mitchell; and Jordan. The three are all serving back in Eastern District.
About Wing 380
Awards
Minister’s Award for First in Wing: Constable Scott Maloney (Auckland City District)
Patron’s Award for Second in Wing: Constable Reuel Namburi (Bay of Plenty)
Commissioner’s Award for Leadership: Constable Natalie Redstone (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Whakaue; Bay of Plenty)
Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Joshua Wilding (Canterbury).
Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Devon Petera-Gerrard (Te Rarawa and Ngāti Porou; Eastern)
Firearms Award: Constable Isaiah Balenti (Auckland City)
Award winners, from left: Constables Scott Maloney, Natalie Redstone, Reuel Namburi, Devon Petera-Gerrard, Joshua Wilding and Isaiah Balenti.
Deployment
The new constables started their first day of duty in their districts on Monday, 30 December. They are posted as follows:
Northland - 2; Waitematā 1; Auckland – 5; Counties Manukau – 10; Waikato – 4; Bay of Plenty – 9; Eastern – 8; Central – 7; Wellington – 6; Tasman – 4; Canterbury – 7; Southern - 5.
Demographics
35.3 percent of wing members are female, 64.7 percent are male. New Zealand European make up 63.2 percent of the wing, with Māori 22.1 percent, Pasifika 8.8 percent, Asian 2.9 percent, LAAM 1.5 percent and Other is 1.5 percent.
About the Patron
Katherine Horan MNZM is a three-time Paralympian, having represented New Zealand in athletics and cycling.
She made her debut at the Athens Paralympics in 2004, and secured a silver medal for New Zealand in the Women's 200m at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. In 2012, switched from athletics to cycling, which saw her selected to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
Other honours include winning silver in the 500m time trial event at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro in March 2018; and bronze in the 500m time trial event at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn a year later.
Kate has now retired from sport to focus on her family and seek new challenges. She received her ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Wellington in November 2020 and was named a Harvey Norman Para Sport Champion in 2024.
She was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2017 New Year Honours, for services to Paralympic sport.