Tackling a new career - recruits graduate

Tackling a new career - recruits graduate Thursday 14 June

Seventy four new constables will graduate from The Royal New Zealand Police College in Wing 272 on Thursday 14 June. Their wing patron is Julie Christie, ONZM.

At 41, new Constable Aaron Senior is indeed one of the more 'senior' members of the wing and has reached a goal that has been in the pipeline for some years.

The talented half-back, who played 100 representative games for the Marlborough Red Devils, will be donning a blue, not red, jersey when he tackles the challenges of his new career in Blenheim.

It was a change in direction on the career front says the former Marlborough Area Rugby Manager. "Being a police officer had been high on my list, and my years of rugby have taught me that individual strength is built by the team, and I can't think of a better team to be part of than the New Zealand Police."

Constable Senior was recognised by his peers for his great teamwork by winning the achievement prize for his section. 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.

With Nick it makes six!
The Wing has a real family feel with several graduates having family members already serving in the police. When Constable Nick Owen graduates he will raise the number of family members in the police to six. His mum Senior Constable Rose Heffey, sister Constable Verity Torrington, and cousins Constable Dean Wakelin and Detective Constable Leanne Wakelin all work in Northland. His uncle, Sergeant Andrew Heffey, is a recruit instructor at The Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua.

Photo: Constable Senior, ready to tackle a new role

Members of Wing 272 have been posted to stations throughout the country.

Northland - Whangarei (4)
Auckland City - Auckland Central (1), Mt Wellington (2), Avondale (1)
Waitemat? - Henderson (6), North Shore (4)
Counties-Manukau - Manurewa (3), Otahuhu (3)
Waikato - Hamilton (1), Te Awamutu (2), Huntly (3)
Bay of Plenty - Rotorua (2), Taupo (2), Tauranga (3), Whakatane (1)
Eastern - Gisborne (1), Hastings (2)
Central - Hawera (1), Levin (2), New Plymouth (1), Palmerston North (2)
Wellington - Kapiti (1), Lower Hutt (2), Porirua (1)
Tasman - Nelson (2), Blenheim (2), Greymouth (1)
Canterbury - Christchurch (9), Timaru (1)
Southern - Dunedin (5), Invercargill (2), Queenstown (1)

Wing 272 prize winners:

• Minister’s Prize for First in Wing was awarded to Constable Brent Menzies, posted to Christchurch. Constable Menzies was also awarded the International Police Association Academic Prize (overall winner for Academic Exams 1, 2 & 3).

• Commissioner’s Prize for Second in Wing was awarded to Constable Alayne Dyke, posted to Whangarei. Constable Dyke was also awarded the Ericsson Practical Prize (overall winner for Practical Assessments, Skills Files & Fingerprinting) and the Intergraph Computer Skills Prize (overall winner in Computer Studies).

• Patron’s Prize for Third in Wing was awarded to Constable John McCarthny, posted to Mt Wellington. Constable McCarthny was also jointly awarded the Holden Tactical Skills & Safety Prize (overall winner in Defensive Tactics, Firearms & Driving).

• The Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award was awarded to Constable Luke McIvor, posted to North Shore. Constable McIvor was also jointly awarded the Holden Tactical Skills & Safety Prize.

• The Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training was awarded to Constable Daniel Ingram, posted to Christchurch.

• The Driver Training Award was awarded to Constable James Waapu, posted to Hastings.

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 Mark Catley, posted to Hastings
• Section Two - Constable Peter Dear, posted to Lower Hutt
• Section Three - Constable Jeremy Kench, posted to Christchurch
• Section Four - Constable Aaron Senior, posted to Blenheim

Wing Patron: Julie Christie, ONZM
Julie Christie is the founder and CEO of Eyeworks New Zealand and Australia, formerly known as Touchdown Productions. She formed the television production company in 1991 and sold it to Dutch media group, Eyeworks, in early 2006. The company’s factual television formats have been licensed to 30 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Julie is the recipient of the 2004 Women in Film and Television Award for International Achievement, the 2006 SPADA Independent Producer of the Year, the 2008 Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of The Year (which celebrates female entrepreneurship), and is an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to film and television.

Graduation will take place at Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana St, Porirua, on Thursday 14 June at 2:00pm. The ceremony will be attended by the Honourable Anne Tolley, Minister of Police, and Police Commissioner Peter Marshall.

Ends

© Scoop Media