Ninety-Seven UK Police Officers Join New Zealand Police
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Ninety-seven police officers from the United Kingdom will begin an
11-week conversion course at The Royal New Zealand Police College on Monday 10 April.
They will be welcomed to the Police College by Police Minister the Hon. Annette King, new Police Commissioner Howard
Broad and College staff.
The UK officers were recruited without advertising by New Zealand
Police last year from a database of approximately 3000 overseas police officers who have expressed interest in living in
New Zealand.
The intake follows that of 74 UK police officers who undertook conversion training in 2003, says National Manager:
Training and Professional Development Superintendent Alistair (Olly) Beckett. Fifty-one members of this 2003 group are
still working for New Zealand Police and of those, one is now an Inspector, two are Senior Sergeants and several are
Sergeants.
The new intake will undertake 11 weeks of intensive training to become familiar with New Zealand law and New Zealand
Police practices.
"While they are all experienced police officers, there is still a lot of material they need to learn that’s specific to
New Zealand Police. They also need to become familiar with other government and social agencies and their systems. On
the other hand, their former policing experience will enable them to be extended in other areas of their conversion
training," says Superintendent Beckett.
The police officers come from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales and comprise 84 men and 13 women. Among them are 56
generalist police staff, 25 criminal investigation staff and 16 traffic specialists. The conversion course is designed
to accommodate these three specialist streams.
"Collectively they are bringing over 1000 years of policing experience into New Zealand Police. Approximately half have
up to 10 years’ experience, half have up to 20 years’ experience and one has been a police officer for over 20 years."
They have been recruited to fill particular areas of need around the country. Sixty-two will work in the Auckland
region, four will work in Northland, 14 will work in central North Island areas, five in Wellington and 12 in the South
Island.
"On completing the conversion course they will leave the Police College as Probationary Constables but will be able to
use New Zealand Police recognition of prior learning processes to advance their careers.
"They will bring a vast amount of experience to New Zealand Police, which will be highly valued in the areas where they
will work," says
Superintendent Beckett.
Other smaller intakes of UK officers are also being planned for later this year.