Sporting Trio in Latest Wing of Graduating 'Cops'
New Zealand Police National News Release
2:36pm 28 November 2007
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=3523

Thirty-eight new police officers will graduate from The Royal New Zealand Police College this Thursday in Wing 245. The recruit wing has had rugby league legend Howie Tamati as their patron.

Competing in their chosen sports at the highest level prepared three of the graduating constables well for the rigorous training and commitment needed to make it through the 19-week training programme to become an officer in the NZ Police.

Constable Mark Sutton was selected for the NZ Mens' netball team competing for the Pacific Cup in Fiji last year and is a regular on the courts, playing indoor netball and basketball as well. Constable Sutton will be stationed in Lower Hutt.

Also used to being at the top of her game is Constable Andrea Quinn, who was placed third in the national bodybuilding championships figure category two years ago. Mother to two teenagers, Andrea says the strength she gained from her weight training has come in handy at the College for rope climbing and some of the defensive tactics techniques taught. Constable Quinn is placed second in the wing and will be posted to Whangarei.

Constable Kyle Lemon, a third-generation champion woodchopper has been chopping competitively since the age of seven. Kyle was in the nine-strong New Zealand team competing against Australia at this year's Royal Sydney Easter Show. Constable Lemon has won the Meltzer prize for weapon training and will be stationed in Rotorua.

A future in youth aid

Constable James Trigger-Hay sees definite parallels between his former career as a social worker in the areas of truancy and adolescent health, and his new career as a police officer. One of the highlights for James of his former career was getting to see a young person "on the road to being who they are meant to be". He says that in both fields he would meet people at a crisis point and needing to make decisions about themselves and their future. Married to a doctor who is a member of 'Medicins sans Frontieres' (aka Doctors without Borders) and who can be called up at a moment's notice to provide medical aid in remote countries, James is keen to return home and has found separation the hardest part of the course. Constable Trigger-Hay will be stationed at the North Shore Policing Centre.

The graduation will take place at The Royal New Zealand Police College on Thursday 29 October at 2:00pm and will be attended by Deputy Commissioner Lyn Provost.

• 38 recruits will graduate - 25 males and 13 females• The average age of wing members is 30 (the youngest is 19 and the oldest is 46)

To find out more about joining the Police phone 0800 NEW COPS (639 2677) or visit www.betterworkstories.co.nz.

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District postings:

Northland - Whangarei (4)

Waitemata -Henderson (2), North Shore Policing Centre (3), Orewa (1)

Auckland City - Auckland Central (1), Mt Wellington (2)

Counties Manukau - Manurewa (1)

Waikato - Hamilton (2), Te Awamutu (1), Thames (1)

Bay of Plenty - Tokoroa (1), Rotorua (1), Whakatane (1)

Eastern - Hastings (3), Napier (3), Gisborne (1)

Wellington - Lower Hutt (2), Wellington (1)

Canterbury - Christchurch (3)

Southern - Dunedin (3), Gore (1)

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Wing 245 prize winners:

•The Minister's Prize for First in Wing will be awarded to Constable Laura STEINER posted to Thames. Constable Steiner will also be awarded the International Police Association Academic Prize for overall academic achievement.

•The Commissioner's Prize for Second in Wing will be awarded to Constable Andrea QUINN posted to Whangarei.

•The Patron's Prize for Third in Wing will be awarded to Constable Lyndon REID posted to Whakatane. Constable Reid will also be awarded the Ericsson Practical Prize for the overall winner for Practical Assessments, File Preparation and Fingerprinting

•The Holden Tactical Skills and Safety Prize for the overall winner in Defensive Tactics, Firearms and Driving will be awarded to Constable Martin SANDERSON posted to Henderson. Constable Sanderson will also be awarded the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Prize.

•The Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training will be awarded to Constable Kyle LEMON, posted to Rotorua.

•The Driver Training Prize will be awarded to Constable Jason SHORTT, posted to the North Shore Policing Centre.

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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 Kane FOOTE posted to Hamilton

Section Two Constable Mark VAINES posted to Te Awamutu

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Wing Patron: Howie Tamati

Wing patrons are a tangible figurehead and are chosen for their contribution as a voice of the community and ability to provide wise counsel during the formative period for new police officers. Well-known rugby league sportsman and coach, Howie Tamati of Te Atiawa, Ngâti Mutunga and Ngai Tahu heritage has been the patron of wing 245.

Howie is a veteran of 50 games including 24 test matches as a hooker for the NZ Kiwis rugby league team. He both captained and coached the team and is the current convenor of selectors for NZRL (New Zealand Rugby League) as well as Chairman of the New Zealand Mâori Rugby League.

He was made MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1994 for services to the sport. He is highly regarded as a leader and has been described by those who know him as a 'fine New Zealander' and also a 'gentleman league player'.

Now the CEO of Sport Taranaki, a thriving charitable trust promoting sport and physical recreation to people of all ages in Taranaki, Howie has also served three terms as councillor on the New Plymouth District Council using his profile to promote and develop a better understanding between Maori and Pakeha within the New Plymouth district over many years.

He is chairman of Te Ihi Tu Maori Prisoner Habilitation Centre in New Plymouth, a community-based kaupapa Maori programme that has had outstanding success at changing the attitudes and mindsets of long-term and recidivist criminals.

ENDS

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