Eighteen new Police officers have completed training for the frontline and will graduate in Auckland this week.
The new Constables of Wing 333, section 5, are made up of 11 women and seven men, speaking languages including Russian, Korean, Cantonese and Mandarin.
The recruits will be posted across Tāmaki Makaurau: four in Auckland City, nine in Counties Manukau and five in Waitematā.
Among those graduating is Joanna (Jo) Nelson, who returns to Police after more than 20 years.
Originally graduating in 1989, Joanna served in Auckland City and qualified as a detective before leaving in 1996 to start her family.
Jo, who will work in the Waitematā district, has since been through university and worked as a teacher.
“I’ve been through some challenges and adversity in my own life, as well as raising three children as a single mother,” she says.
“I’ve got a different perspective and I still think I’ve got something to offer.”
Policing will also be in the family for Dan Stansfield, who joins her husband in being a member of Police.
Dan, who speaks Mandarin, gave up a nearly two decade career in banking before deciding to join Police.
“I had been working in an office for so long and I felt like I wasn’t learning anymore. I needed to learn something different,” she says.
In re-evaluating her career, Dan decided to start training at the gym and get herself fit.
“I heard a lot about the job and thought it sounded really interesting,” she says.
“The training has been really intense and a challenge in different ways, but at the same time I’ve learned so many skills.”
Police have had a very strong start to the year with over 200 applications received for police in the first few weeks of 2020.
Applications from Auckland alone doubled from December last year.
Jo Nelson says she has spoken with people who are interested in joining, but are concerned about not passing.
“My advice is to feel the fear and do it anyway.”
The graduation ceremony will be held at Eden Park on Thursday 16 January, starting at 1.30pm.
Commissioner Mike Bush and Deputy Commissioner John Tims will be attending with the Minister of Police, Hon Stuart Nash.
ENDS
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Media please note: Any media wishing to attend the graduation are asked to RSVP by emailing the Police Media Centre at media@police.govt.nz.