Wing 383’s patron Don Mann inspired his wing on their first day of training with stories from his life as a police officer and a community and business leader, words from his father, and a determination to serve his ancestors in everything he does.

Don and his wife Louise know exactly how the Wing 383 recruits are feeling as they start their Police training journey – they have been new recruits too, but a few decades have passed between then and now.

“Almost 40 years to the day I was in your place,” said Don to his wing on Monday 18 November.

Starting in Wing 92 in 1984 and graduating top of the wing, Don spent 13 years in Police, much of that time as a detective.

“I can tell you it was the best decision I ever made," Don said about joining Police.

Don has also been a marketing manager at New Zealand Rugby League, a general manager for the New Zealand Warriors and CEO of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, where he led indigenous economic development partnerships across the Pacific region. He is currently CEO of Pacific Media Network, a public service multimedia entity that serves a global Pacific audience.

He is also on the Boards of Literacy Aotearoa, SkyCity Auckland Community Trust, and The Rising Foundation.

Meanwhile, Louise has clocked up a combined 32 years in Police – 17 as a police officer who joined in Wing 81 in 1981 and, after time raising children, another 15 years so far as an employee who has provided support to leaders at PNHQ and district commanders. Louise is currently Executive Assistant to Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray.

The 79 recruits of the Don Mann Wing had earlier heard from speakers at their pōwhiri, including acting Director of Training Inspector Bernie Boyle-Tiatia.

Bernie told the wing they have work to do across the 20-week course, to add new skills to those they already have.

“It starts here. You now join a proud legacy. The training that you will undertake will challenge you, it will stretch you, but ultimately it should reveal the best version of yourself.”

Don agreed that the training will be a revealing time for the wing.

“One thing that’s in your hands is your character. It’s not that your character is going to be developed here, it’s going to be revealed,” he said.

Don has Māori and Tongan ancestry and reflected on how his ancestors and their forward thinking have shaped his values and world view.

“You will all have your own reason why you are here. The reason why I do anything is that I wholeheartedly believe I serve my ancestors in every single thing I do.

“Whilst I am tangata whenua I am also tangata moana and as a Pacific person I very much see myself as a global person.”

While serving in Police, Don said there were challenging times when his beliefs and the Police oath appeared to be in conflict.

“As a Māori detective who came from a starting point of tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake, and as a teenager who marched against the Springbok Tour and stood on Bastion Point, I had some decisions to make about how I was going to blend what I inherently believed in versus upholding the oath I took.”

His answer and way forward lay in applying a Māori cultural lens to his police work.

“You are going to be faced with your belief system and maintaining your commitment to the oath so you’re going to have to find a way to do what you’re here to do but then to hold true to yourself...

“You’re going to be asked at some stage to make some tough decisions, to look deep inside yourself, to make some character judgements. You’ll get all the training you need [to help you] – that’s how your character is going to be revealed over the next six months.”

Don also asked the wing to consider the words his father used to share with him and his brothers.

“There are going to be times when everyone is looking to you to make a decision, and it’s like my father said: ‘What are you going to do? Never mind what everyone else thinks, never mind what everyone else is doing – what are you going to do?’”

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