Today New Zealand Police and Wade Group have unveiled the new Ford Ranger 4x4 Police Dog Unit and Mitsubishi Triton ute for the Chatham Islands Police.

The unveiling and tour of the factory at Wade Group headquarters in Hamilton was attended by Minister for Police Hon Mark Mitchell, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mike Johnson, and Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate with representatives from Skoda and Ford.

Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson says “I am delighted to be here alongside the Minister, Mayor Southgate, executive leaders from Giltrap, Wade, Skoda, Mitsubishi, and Ford to unveil our new Ford Ranger 4x4 Police Dog Unit and custom Mitsubishi Triton ute for the Chatham Islands.

Police’s ongoing collaboration with these businesses, highlights the tangible impact they have on contributing to the safety of New Zealand.

Some of the features of the Ford Ranger 4x4 dog units include two large pods for the dog to travel in, an automatic fan, and in-built magnetic water bowls.

These vehicles are a result of the significant investment made as part of Budget 24 which ensures Police continue to have the tools we need to do our job on a day-to-day basis. While the overall goal is to standardise our fleet to drive cost-efficiency, it is crucial to maintain some flexibility for specific needs, especially in rural environments like the Chatham Islands.

“I am eager to see these vehicles deployed and operational, strengthening our policing capabilities.

They will not only provide visibility and reassurance to our communities but also enhance our ability to address public concerns around gangs and violent crime,” says Assistant Commissioner Johnson.

Alyssa Wade, Managing Director, Wade Group says, “It’s a privilege to host the official launch of this new Ford Ranger 4 x 4 Dog Unit. This unique vehicle is the result of close collaboration between the New Zealand Police’s Dog Vehicle Working Group and Wade Group. This event comes on the back of Wade Group’s recent milestone of fitting out over 4,500 New Zealand Police vehicles to date. I’d like to recognise our team, as it’s their commitment and hard work that enables Wade Group to do our bit in helping New Zealand Police keep our communities safe.

Neil Robinson, Operations Manager Emergency Vehicle Division, Wade Group says, “We kicked off the project back in January with a specification meeting, after nine months of hard work seeing a police dog pup in the back of the vehicle for the first time really highlighted for me the important role these new vehicles will play in the community.

The Chatham Islands utility has a high-spec fitout, ideal for life on an island - including rust and underbody protection for longevity in a harsh sea environment. With a large portion of the work on the island being off-road, it was necessary to fit the vehicle out with bull bars, winch, snorkel, mud tyres, 360 search-light and a high spec and rugged canopy, he says.”

As part of the event, Wade Group New Zealand showcased the production line of their Skoda Police vehicles.

Along with the production line tour, they provided a history, and future of vehicles and the services they provide to New Zealand Police.

There was a display of specialist vehicles from New Zealand Police, Department of Corrections and Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

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