UK cops graduate from Police College

The former United Kingdom officers graduating today from an accelerated Police College course are all bound for Auckland, Police Minister George Hawkins says.

The 74 officers would be required to serve at least two years in Auckland, mainly in Auckland City and Counties Manukau policing districts, Mr Hawkins said. They would be on the beat immediately.

“As such, they will be continuing the focus of providing police for Auckland that has already seen 114 more police in the area this month,” he said.

Before today’s graduation, New Zealand had around 7400 sworn and 2159 non-sworn police. Police numbers had risen greatly from the 6939 sworn officers and 1734 non-sworn staff the Labour-led government inherited in November 1999, Mr Hawkins said.

Under the patronage of British High Commissioner Sir Richard Fell, the 68 male and six female recruits of Wing 212 completed an 11-week accelerated course, based on the College’s current 19-week recruit training programme.

The course took into account the officers’ previous experience, tailored to skills deemed essential for the Auckland area. It included police, driver, computer and firearms training and defensive tactics.

The officers, with an average age of 35 years, had previous experience across 29 English, Scottish and Irish policing districts. Individual’s specialist training included firearms, crash analysis, criminal investigation and terrorist response.

Ranks previously held included constable, detective constable, detective sergeant, sergeant and trainee detective constable. All were required to meet the expectations of the Porirua College’s standard recruit wing, Mr Hawkins said.

Of the graduates Newmarket would receive 4 officers, Auckland Central 11, Mangere 2, Pukekohe 3, TAG Harbour Bridge 3, Avondale 10 , Papakura 7, ER Wiri 16, Onehunga 4, Glen Innes 2, Otahuhu 5, Manurewa 2, Otara 2, Balmoral 2.

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