Police – Is blue your colour?

Have you ever watched Hawaii Five-O or CSI New York and thought to yourself, ‘That looks like fun. I could definitely do that’. If you’re that person, have I got news for you!

New Zealand Police is hard-out recruiting. We want people of sound character who want to have fun, have something to give to their communities, who have a ‘can do’ attitude and, perhaps most importantly, have a solid dose of old-fashioned common sense. That last one is particularly important, because I might have to work with you.

If you have previously toyed with the idea of joining the New Zealand Police, there has never been a better time to throw your hat in the ring. Why? Because promises have been made. The Police Minister has announced an additional 500 frontline police and those of us already on the thin blue line are trying to find people with the right stuff to join us.

First and foremost, we are looking for people with outstanding communication skills. Empathy, integrity and problem-solving abilities are also prerequisites. You also need to be comfortable making tough calls.

You’ll be the person who can instil confidence in the people around you. Most importantly, you will be someone who genuinely wants to help other people, often at the worst moments of their lives. You don’t know how rewarding it is to make a real difference to someone who is struggling.

Now, I know this job is not for everyone. For a start, not everyone has the qualities I’ve just outlined. The fashion conscious among you might be unable to face wearing blue polyester every day and while armour-plating is hard wearing, it can certainly be very hot in summer. On the up side, with all those pockets there is always room for your lippy. For other people who would otherwise make fine police officers, the prospect of potential violence is too daunting. I’m not going to mislead anyone because that is always a possibility in this job.

But bear in mind, the person reading this column is not the person who will be pulling on a uniform and heading out onto the street. There is six months intensive training in front of every potential recruit. But it comes with the support of an organisation that knows its business. Most importantly, there’s a diverse group of experienced co-workers always willing to lend a hand with whatever problem is in front of you.

I’ve spent over 22 years in this job – the work is varied, with no two days the same. Most importantly, what the police do is genuinely meaningful and makes a difference in the lives of local folk. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, go to https://www.newcops.govt.nz and check it out. After you’ve done that, call in at the station and tell me that this column pushed you to do it. I love positive feedback!

And finally, working for the police in Warkworth is exciting, rewarding and interesting, but to be completely honest, it’s not much like Hawaii Five-O or CSI New York.

Note to editor: I owed you 51 words for the last column, so now I’m in credit!