Fifty-six police recruits are graduating this week to boost police ranks over the Christmas and New Year period.
They are the last recruits to graduate in 2006, which has been a busy year for The Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua.
A total of 671 sworn officers have joined the organisation this year, which includes 134 former UK police officers who have entered through conversion courses. This compares with 516 sworn staff entering Police in 2005.
Police College Training Commander Superintendent Alistair (Olly) Beckett says 2006 has been the busiest year in the Porirua Police College's history, putting the Police ahead in its target of employing 1000 extra police over three years.
Among the prize winners is a former camera operator who worked on The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movies, and later as an underwater camera specialist filming in "some of the most amazing places all over the world". Constable Malcolm York, 39, will work in Henderson.
His career change was spurred by first-hand experience of a police search and rescue operation to find his mother when he was a teenager. "She died, but I remember the amazing support we received as a family from the police and search and rescue volunteers who turned up in huge numbers to look for my mother. It inspired me six years ago to become a search and rescue volunteer and this led me to the decision to join the Police full-time. I want to do my part to help people in need and provide a safe country for my kids to grow up in."
The graduation will take place at The Royal New Zealand Police College on Thursday 21 November at 2:00pm.
* 56 recruits will graduate - 48 males and 8 females
* The average age of wing members is 28 (the youngest is 19 and the oldest is 39)
To find out more about joining the Police phone 0800 NEW COPS (639 2677) or visit www.betterworkstories.co.nz.
District postings:
Northland - Kerikeri (1), Whangarei (2)
Waitematâ (formerly North Shore/Waitakere/Rodney) - Henderson (4), North Shore Policing Centre (2)
Auckland City - Auckland City (2), Avondale (1), Mt Wellington (1)
Counties Manukau - Howick (4), Manurewa (5), Otahuhu (4), Papakura (3), Pukekohe (4)
Waikato - Hamilton (4)
Bay of Plenty - Rotorua (1)
Central - Hawera (1), New Plymouth (2), Palmerston North (1)
Wellington - Wellington (4), Porirua (2), Upper Hutt (1)
Tasman - Blenheim (1), Nelson (1)
Canterbury - Christchurch (3)
Southern - Dunedin (2)
Wing 236 prize winners:
• Minister's Prize for First in Wing was awarded to Constable Hayden CRADDOCK posted to Auckland Central.
Constable CRADDOCK was also awarded the Ericsson Practical Prize (overall winner for practical assessments, file preparation and fingerprinting).
• Commissioner's Prize for Second in Wing was awarded to Constable Timothy OLDFIELD posted to Dunedin.
Constable OLDFIELD was also awarded the Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training.
• Patron's Prize for Third in Wing was awarded to Constable Malcolm YORK posted to Henderson.
Constable YORK was also awarded the International Police Association Academic Prize, the Driver Training Award and a Police Association Prize for Section Achievement (see below).
• The Holden Tactical Skills and Safety Prize (overall winner in defensive tactics, firearms and driving) was awarded to Constable Reon STEWART posted to Howick.
• The Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award was awarded to Constable Nelson PULOTU posted to New Plymouth.
Police Association prizes for section 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 Nils BARTH posted to Dunedin
Section Two Constable Shane GRANT posted to Papakura
Section Three Constable Malcolm YORK posted to Henderson
Wing Patron: Peter Martin MNZM
After a farm bike accident left him a quadriplegic 16 years ago, Peter Martin has competed successfully at three Paralympics, earned numerous medals for New Zealand and set three world records in shot put, javelin and discus. At the most recent Paralympics in Athens in 2004, Peter earned two gold medals, one in the shot put and the other in the javelin, and he played a significant role as a team captain. He is currently working towards the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.
Peter has also been an active member of the Wheelblacks and introduced his wing of police recruits to wheelchair rugby.
In 2005 Peter was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Peter will attend the graduation.
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For more information or to attend graduation please contact:
Toni Barlow, Communications Adviser - 04 238 3413 / 0274 419 216