In a move to strengthen its workforce and better mirror the diverse communities it serves, the New Zealand Police hosted an ethnic recruitment drive on May 18, 2024. This initiative aims to augment the number of police officers nationwide.
"The National government announced 500 additional police officers for New Zealanders. My team, Police Ethnic Service Team, is dedicated and has joined forces with the Police Recruitment Team to achieve the government's goal," Constable Terry Lin of Counties Manukau Police told The Indian Weekender.
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The Police Ethnic Service Team has collaborated with the Police Recruitment Team to boost the representation of ethnic backgrounds within the force.
"Our intent is to increase the number of police officers, particularly from ethnic backgrounds, in our organisation. We need to diversify our police members, and that's why we are reaching out to communities and their leaders," added Constable Lin.
The recruitment drive aims to enhance the engagement of diverse ethnic communities with the New Zealand Police. "Every time I dealt with an incident involving my Chinese community, they felt a sense of relief as they could talk to someone in their own language," shared Constable Lin.
"Language barriers often create anxiety and uncertainty for our ethnic communities. When they see officers of their own kind, they open up and are willing to talk more, which may result in solving crimes and increasing police trust and confidence," he added.
To achieve this, the Police Ethnic Service team will host one recruitment seminar per month, focusing on different ethnicities each time. The upcoming seminar in June will target the Chinese community, although the sessions are open to everyone.
Feedback from various ethnic communities regarding the recruitment drive has been overwhelmingly positive. "They welcome the police recruitment drive, which demonstrates that the police value our community," said Constable Lin.
Successful candidates will undergo training as constabulary recruits at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC). The training program lasts approximately five months, during which candidates reside at the college. However, they are allowed to travel home during study breaks or weekends. Moreover, recruits receive payment during the training period.
The criteria for selection and further details can be found on the website newcops.govt.nz or by attending one of the recruitment seminars.
This recruitment drive represents a significant step towards a more inclusive and diverse police force, reflecting the multicultural fabric of New Zealand's society.
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