New Zealand Police have officially opened the new Auckland Campus of the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC), expanding training opportunities in the country’s largest city.
The RNZPC Auckland Campus was formally opened this morning by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Minister of Police Mark Mitchell and Associate Minister of Police Casey Costello.
The campus, based at facilities leased from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, will allow Police to hold senior training courses and have the added bonus of a recruit wing.
Commissioner Chambers said that he has expectation for high standards.
“That starts the moment a recruit walks into Police College and continues throughout their policing career,” he said.
“To ensure those expectations are met and our front line is supported, ongoing training is essential, and the Auckland Campus will be important for holding our senior courses.
He noted that in recent years, some senior courses had to be delivered online or in districts to allow for more recruit training space in Wellington. However, not all courses are suited to remote learning.
“However, that is not possible for some courses and bringing people together in person is an important opportunity for staff to learn from each other as well.”
Since the lease was signed, Police have worked to prepare the space in time for courses beginning 30 June. The first senior course, a Leadership and Development group conference, is already underway.
The first senior course at the Auckland Campus, a Leadership and Development group conference, has begun.
The campus features multiple classrooms, a locker room, storage facilities, offices, dorm rooms, car parks, and access to a gym and recreation centre. It is also hosting recruit Wing 390, which consists of 40 recruits. The patron for this wing is former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Sir John Key.
RNZPC Auckland is also being used for recruit wing 390 which has 40 recruits.
The Patron for Wing 390 is former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Sir John Key.
Commissioner Chambers says: “Being away from home for 20 weeks to attend recruit training in Wellington has been a deterrent for some people wanting to join Police.
“Offering training in Auckland is one of the things we can do to attract as many quality applications as possible.
“Aside from appealing to people who live in Auckland, Wing 390 has a large number of recruits from Northland who will be based in the dorms.
While Auckland recruits will still need to travel to Porirua for approximately five weeks for parts of their training not available locally, the ability to complete most of the course in Auckland provides greater accessibility.
“We will consider the possibility of future recruit wings later in the year depending on demand and the schedule for senior courses,” Commissioner Chambers said.
Those interested in joining the New Zealand Police can apply at newcops.govt.nz to apply today.