Police Minister Stuart Nash congratulates Constable Kirsten Craig of Palmerston North, who graduated top of Wing 338
today, and received the Minister’s Award.She is being posted to the Central Police District. Constable Craig has a
double degree in Management and Psychology and previously worked for the Corrections Department. Her father has 25
years’ service in NZ Police.
Auckland Constable Matt Hunt has been honoured by brand new Police recruits and senior Police leadership at the latest
graduation ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Police College today.
Minister of Police Stuart Nash says Constable Hunt’s death on duty on Friday weighed heavily on today’s graduation of 38
new constables from Recruit Wing 338.
“In March 2018 I attended Matt’s graduation. The officers in today’s wing have all the passion and enthusiasm for their
new career that the constables of recruit wing 312 displayed more than two years ago,” said Mr Nash.
“The best tribute today’s new constables can pay to Constable Hunt is to live their careers with the same passion he
had. Together we marked a minute’s silence in honour of Matt.
“The constables represent a cross-section of the communities they will serve. More than a third of the new officers are
female; 13 per cent are Maori; the youngest is aged 20 and the eldest is 55.
“Today’s graduation means that since the Coalition Government was formed 2,198 new Police officers have been deployed
all over the country.
“The total number of Police officers has grown to just over 10,100 full time equivalent officers. After attrition the
Police frontline has grown by an extra 1,265 officers, or more than 14 percent, since the start of the 2017/18 year.