Award-winning actor and director, and Wing 377 patron, Dame Miranda Harcourt DNZM was proud to be in the audience as sixty new officers graduated from their initial police training today in Porirua.

In attendance was Acting Commissioner Jevon McSkimming with members of the police executive, The Hon Mark Mitchell, Minister for Police along with whānau and friends of the graduates.

The graduates are from New Zealand and all over the world, including, South Africa, India, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and many of the recruits speak more than one, or two languages. Several of the wing are former military or have followed in the footsteps of their relatives to train as police officers. A number of the recruits have volunteered for emergency services and other charity groups, including one who has been a mentor for the Big Brother, Big Sister programme.

Wellington-bound Constable, Nicola Belcher, was thrilled to be graduating and acknowledges that her time as a Big Brother, Big Sister mentor was an integral part of her journey to police.

“It’s an amazing mentoring programme and provides primary-aged tamariki with a role model and a friend to talk to and share the experiences of growing up,” she says.

“I was matched with a 10-year-old girl, who had a similar background to myself. She’d lost her father too at a young age. I caught up with her one day every week and we went roller skating or to the aquarium or out for ice-cream.”

“I felt honoured to have met her and she developed into an incredible young person. I believe as police officers we have a chance to be that mentor and support to vulnerable young people, so it’s a valuable programme to be involved in,” she says.

When Constable Danni Pattison was young, she always wanted to be a detective. She moved from China to New Zealand 23 years ago and since moving here and starting a family has finally made her dream come true. She’s hoping that other people will consider a career in police in their forties just like she has.

“With the full support from my family and friends, I moved from corporate roles, including banking into policing. I really enjoyed the firearms and driving part of training but found being away from my family for the whole five months to be challenging.

I have missed my downtime, as I am a big surfer, and of course Gisborne has plenty of beautiful surf beaches. I am looking forward to getting back to my family, getting back to the beach and getting started in this job.”

Constable Ben Spenceley, who will be based in Bay of Plenty was the recipient of the Commissioner’s Leadership Award and addressed the wing during the ceremony.

“This is the start of our journey in the New Zealand Police, and for each one of us here, there are many people who have sacrificed and worked hard to allow us to be on parade today. Family, we could not have done it without you.

“To my fellow wing mates, look after each other, stay strong but humble, and remember that one day soon, it will be our turn to help people up this mountain and share our knowledge and experience with them. It is only by lifting them on our shoulders, that we as an organisation, as a family, will get to being the safest country.

We would like to acknowledge the work of our patron, Dame Miranda Harcourt. We will take your lead in practicing our craft and thinking outside the box to help people in our communities.”

Dame Miranda addressed the graduates; “Wing 377 - congratulations, what a major achievement. You now stand at the foot of our mountain. As you climb it, there will be beautiful views and raging storms. Remember to share both with your brothers and sisters who you walk beside."

As the patron of Women’s Refuge, Dame Miranda has an extensive awareness of the work that police do around stopping family harm and said it was “incredibly moving” to watch the recruits do their training in family violence, learning to intervene using psychology and empathy and to try and break that cycle.

“You should be proud. In my visits here, I’ve watched you sixty amazing humans complete your training and it has been gobsmacking to observe your collegiality, your passion, and your focus.”

Patron bio: Dame Miranda Harcourt DNZM

Dame Miranda Harcourt graduated from Toi Whakaari, New Zealand Drama School, in 1984. Harcourt was part of a PEP scheme under Darcy Nicholas at the Willis Street Wellington Arts Centre directed by Colin McColl in a play. In 1990, a sponsored year at London's Central School of Speech and Drama led to an exploration of drama therapy in psychiatric institutions, with the deaf, and in prisons.

For seven years Miranda was the Head of the Acting Department at Toi Whakaari - New Zealand Drama School. Miranda teaches at the National Film and Television School in London (NFTS), AFTRS and The Hub in Sydney, at Toi Whakaari, The Actors' Program and Victoria University in NZ and by Zoom with individual clients.

In 2019 and 2021 she was a Governor for the Filmmaker Lab and the Rising Stars at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF). Miranda has coached Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, International Emmy, and BAFTA-award nominated and winning performances. In 2017 Miranda co-directed NZ YA classic The Changeover with Stuart McKenzie. The film was critically acclaimed and was selected for film festivals including Rome, Sydney, Malmo, and Neuchatel.

Awards: Minister’s Award recognising top student: Constable Tyler Courtney, posted to Canterbury District. Patron’s Award for second in wing recognising second top student and the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Samuel Ahie posted to Counties Manukau. Commissioner’s Award for Leadership: Benjamin Spenceley posted to Bay of Plenty district. Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Wernich Pheiffer posted to Waitematā District. Firearms Award: Constable Jake Low, posted to Eastern District.

Deployment: The new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts on Monday, 15 September 2024 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.

Northland 2, Tāmaki Makaurau a total of 19 and broken down as follows: Auckland – 7, Waitematā - 5, Counties Manukau - 7, Waikato - 5, Bay of Plenty - 6, Eastern - 6, Central - 5, Wellington - 7, Tasman - 3, Canterbury - 3, Southern - 4.

Demographics:

20.0 percent are female, 78.3 percent are male, and 1.7% are gender diverse. New Zealand European make up 76.7 percent of the wing, with Māori 6.7 percent, Pasifika 8.3 percent, Asian 5. percent and Other 3.3 percent.

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