8 December 2010

Thirty seven new constables will graduate from The Royal New Zealand Police College in Wing 264 tomorrow. The 10 women and 27 men range in age from 20 to 38. Their wing patron is Pauline Winter QSO. Pauline is currently working at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) as Director of the Office of Pasifika Advancement (OPA).

Youngest of ten wins overall academic prize Constable Arron Waetford had wanted to join the New Zealand Police for a long time, but he took his time, and it paid off. Arron (28) won the International Police Association Academic Prize for the Overall winner of Academic Exams 1, 2 and 3.

"For me maturity was a big thing, I think if I had come to the Police College in my early days I wouldn't have succeeded to such a high level. But now I am totally motivated and wanting to be the best I can be," Arron said.

Constable Waetford, from Rotorua, is of Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Pikiao descent and is the youngest in a family of ten. Due to his father’s work for an offshore company, he attended about ten different schools and spent much of his formative years overseas in countries like Australia and Papua New Guinea. Arron also suffered the tragedy of losing his father at age 16.

"I feel my background, life experiences, education and work history have provided an excellent foundation to launch my career with the New Zealand Police," he said.

Constable Waetford has been posted to Manurewa.

The majority of Wing 264 has been posted to stations in the Counties-Manukau Police District.

They will be posted to:

Canterbury: Christchurch (4), Timaru (2) Tasman: Greymouth (2) Central: Palmerston North (1) Eastern: Gisborne (2) Counties-Manukau: Papakura (7), Otahuhu (3), Howick (8), Manurewa (5) Waitemata: Henderson (3)

Wing 264 prize winners:

•Minister's Prize for First in Wing was awarded to Constable Kristian Bisset, posted to Otahuhu. Constable Bisset was also awarded the Intergraph Computer Skills Prize (overall winner in computer studies) and the Ericsson Practical Prize for the overall winner for practical assessments, skills files & forensic fingerprinting.

•Commissioner's Prize for Second in Wing was awarded to Constable Christopher Bradley posted to Christchurch. Constable Bradley was also awarded the Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training.

•Patron's Prize for Third in Wing was awarded to Constable Lucy Catchpole, posted to Howick.

•The International Police Association Academic Prize (overall winner for Academic Exams 1, 2 & 3) was awarded to Constable Arron Waetford, posted to Manurewa.

•The Holden Tactical Skills & Safety Prize (overall winner in defensive tactics, firearms & driving), was awarded to Constable Ben Whitley, posted to Gisborne. Constable Whitley was also awarded the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award and the achievement prize for section 2.

•The Driver Training Award was awarded to Constable Byung Sam Son, posted to Howick.

Police Association Prizes for Section Achievement:

This prize is awarded to an individual from each section who, in the collective view of the members of the section and the wing instructors, made the greatest contribution to the overall success of the team.

•Section One - Constable Scott Leighton, posted to Gisborne •Section Two - Constable Ben Whitley, posted to Gisborne

Wing Patron: Pauline A Winter QSO, Patron of Wing 264

Pauline Winter is currently working at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) as Director of the Office of Pasifika Advancement (OPA). The role of the OPA is to support, facilitate and encourage people at all levels within AUT to progress Pacific Island student success. The office also supports AUT’s goal to have 100 Pasifika PhDs by 2015.

Pauline is a member of the Commissioner’s Assurance Committee and a Director of the Pasifika Advancement Trust, which is developing a Pacific Wānanga in Auckland. She also runs her own consultancy business (INTERPACIFIC Ltd), offering governance training, management support, mentoring and strategic planning for private and public sector organisations and individuals.

She began her career in the building industry managing a design and build company overseeing contracts in New Zealand and the South Pacific for Fletcher Ltd. She is the former Chief Executive of Workbridge Inc, a national organisation with 27 centres throughout the country providing employment and training services for disabled people. Under her guidance the organisation sharpened its focus on quality services, gained recognition internationally and developed unique service products for the accident rehabilitation industry.

Pauline has had a number of board appointments since the late 1990s and currently Chairs NACEW (National Advisory Council on Employment for Women) and OMEGA Talent Trust, an Auckland-based organisation working to secure employment for highly qualified immigrants from non-Western countries. She is also a Commissioner for the Tertiary Education Commission and has held the position of Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission since 2001.

She was the first Māori/Pacific Island woman to be elected to the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust (AECT), which is the 100% shareholder of New Zealand’s largest electricity line company, Vector.

Pauline was named the Pacific Business Person of the Year in 1997 and in 2008 was appointed as a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order (QSO) for her services to business and the Pacific Islands community.

Pauline is of Samoan (Sasa’ai) and Māori (Te Ati Awa) descent and her leadership and management skills are renowned in the business and education sectors.

Graduation will take place at The Royal New Zealand Police College, Papakowhai Rd, Porirua, on Thursday 9 December at 2:00pm. The ceremony will be attended by the Honourable Judith Collins, Minister of Police, and Police Commissioner Howard Broad.

ENDS

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