A Career In The Police Force: Step Up and Join

A CAREER IN THE POLICE IS A CHALLENGING CHOICE:
STEP UP AND JOIN US

Looking for people with:

• Excellent health and have the potential to reach a required standard of fitness.
  
• From 18 years old with no upper age limit.
  
• Have good written and verbal communication skills.
  
• Can make decisions, are adaptable, have life skills and experience (or show excellent potential in these areas) but no criminal convictions - minor matters are looked at on an individual basis
  
• Believe in fairness, integrity, commitment and loyalty.
  

Interests that assist: Search and rescue, St. Johns, Self Defence, lifestyle fitness, computer skills, any tertiary education, develop counseling skills, an interest in people and human nature.

REQUIREMENTS:

• HEALTH - eyesight, hearing, asthma, serious illness or injury, back problems psychological problems all need to be disclosed.
  
• CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS - age, seriousness, time elapsed, attitude.
  
• Full drivers licence preferred with lots of driving experience in automatic and manual.
  
• NZ citizen or permanent resident.

1. Pre-entry written exam - English, maths and abstract reasoning.
   
2. Physical test - no height or weight for your height (between 20-28BMI). Run, push-ups and vertical jump, grip strength test.Idea is to achieve the highest standard you can in each area of the process.
   
3. Psychological Profile.
   
4. Obstacle course.Age and gender related.
   
5. Collect defensive driving, First Aid, swimming, keyboard skills, certificates.
   
6. Background enquiries - previous employers, referees, clubs and organisations.
   
7. SCOPE - 40 hours work experience with Police Staff.
   
8. In depth interviews and recommendation.
   
9. Medical and Optician.
   
10. Waiting list for the area you wish to work in.
    
11. Selection - further fitness test.
    
12. College for 19 weeks.

This may seem daunting when look at the list but each step can be taken individually and you can only do your best.
COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS:

• College is just out of Porirua, Wellington.
  
• 19 week course, (inclusive of one weeks paid leave and one week on station duty)
  
• Intensive period of training - law, human development, forensic techniques, driving, firearms, cultural awareness, road safety, dispute resolution, self-defence, fitness training and lots of swimming.
  
• Team bonding, loyalty, use your strengths to assist others.
  
• Graduation.
  
• Post-graduation - Certificate of Contemporary Policing:
  College = one University paper.
  Two years probationary learning period = one University paper.
  Four University papers are available (paid for by Police Department).One is compulsory to gain Permanent Appointment at the end of the probationary period.The other three are recommended and necessary to gain the Certificate.

ROLE OF POLICE OFFICER

Duties cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Not only law enforcement, bit also fulfills many social services.NZ Police are community representatives, there to maintain law and order.

1. Maintain law and order.
   
2. Protect life and property - try to keep people safe in their homes, on the streets and on the roads.Prevent crime.
   
3. Respond to incidents, investigate crime.
   
4. Detect and apprehend offenders.
   
5. Mediate disputes, resolve conflicts.
   
6. Deal compassionately with victims.
   
7. Attend unnatural deaths.
   
8. Offer advice and support.
   
9. Lead by example, role models.
   
10. Be a team member.

A days duty can cover many things from burglaries, sudden deaths, shoplifting, lost children, walking the beat.

Various roles within policing:

• Uniform branch
  
• Traffic - Road policing, Highway Patrol, Tactical Alcohol Group, Serious Crash Investigators, Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit
  
• CIB - SAT, Property, Homicide, Fraud, Drugs, Car Squad
  
• Youth Aid Section
  
• Youth Education Officers
  
• Community Constables
  
• Tactical Support Team
  
• Watchhouse keepers
  
• Prosecutions - Prosecutors, Police Escort, Court Orderly, Inquest Officer, Diversions
  
• Forensics - Photographer, Scene of Crime Analysts
  
• Airport Police
  
• Waterfront Police - Auckland and Wellington
  
• Intell
  
• Liquor Licensing
  
• Vetting and second hand dealers
  
• Undercover
  
• 1,2,3 man stations
  
• CAD - communications and dispatch
  
• Recruiting
  
• College Instructors
  
• Staff Safety Trainers
  
• Training officers
  
• Compusketch
  
• SAR
  
• AOS
  
• Police negotiators
  
• Dive squad
  
• Electronic monitors
  
• Support staff: Physical education officers
  
• Typists
  
• Data entry
  
• Records
  
• Property Officer
  
• Arms Officer
  
• Speed Cameras
  
• Welfare Officer
  
• Victim support
  
• Telecommunications
  
• Information and technology
  
• Computer trainers

Police have contact with many agencies in the community.

• Civil defence staff
  
• Solicitors, Crown Prosecutors - work for the Police
  
• Court
  
• Hospital - A and E/Mental Health units
  
• Ambulance
  
• Fire Department
  
• Glass repair services
  
• Security companies
  
• Women's Refuge
  
• Rape Crisis
  
• Doctors
  
• Probation Officers
  
• WINZ
  
• CYPS
  
• Social Workers

BENEFITS OF JOINING POLICE

• Pay you to train.$30,000pa while at College, $43,000 on graduation.
  
• Help make a safer community for your loved ones
  
• Can make a positive difference in the life of a victim
  
• Help to make things fair and cause justice to be done
  
• Career structure, can go upwards or out.Very hard to be bored as you can continue to specialise in different areas
  
• Camaraderie.Team working towards a common goal.Immense loyalty and support
  
• Potential to carry on with assisted learning and gain further qualifications
  
• Good superannuation scheme
  
• Subsidised life insurance
  
• Credit union, health plan, mortgage schemes
  
• Holiday homes across country
  
• Can resign and reapply with limited retaining up to five years
  
• Take up to 2 years leave without pay
  
• Good annual leave

QUALITIES THAT MAKE A SUCCESSFUL POLICE OFFICER

• Ability to adhere to authority - follow orders, policies, even if you don't agree
  
• Attention to detail - thorough and conscientious
  
• Controlled demeanour - maintain composure in face of provocation, and continue to perform effectively
  
• Endurance - same tasks for extended periods, tedious nightshifts, or when physically or mentally exhausted
  
• Initiative - go beyond what is required, self-starters, originate actions rather than respond to events - increase knowledge of offenders, statutes
  
• Integrity - adhere to honesty, resist unethical or unlawful temptations
  
• Sensitivity - react sensitively, empathy, compassion, be sincere and tactful
  
• Job knowledge - laws, regulations, policies, methods, procedures and techniques
  
• Observation - notice things using all five senses
  
• Oral communication - clearly express in individual, group or court setting
  
• Oral fact finding - being able to ask questions that will disclose relevant information
  
• Perseverance - stay with a plan until desired goal is reached or no longer reasonable obtainable.Following up on possible lines of enquiry
  
• Personal relations - being able to present in a manner that is helpful and encourages a positive attitude towards police, regardless of age, sex, race, religious, political or marital status
  
• Personal impact - create a good impression, command attention and respect, maturity and confidence
  
• Physical efficiency - perform activities that require strength, agility, stamina, defend oneself or others against attack
  
• Intelligence - assess, analyse a problem, identify and evaluate possible course of action, reach logical conclusion and take appropriate action
  
• Problem confrontation - effectively deal with the potentially unpleasant or dangerous, rather than ignore or avoid
  
• Resilience - handle disappointment, frustration.Don't allow imperfect working conditions, inadequate equipment, large quantities of paperwork affect work performance.When one desired goal cannot be achieved don't let it stop you trying to reach another goal
  
• Technical proficiency - range of equipment required, should be mastered.Be able to move with progress
  
• Stress tolerance - learn healthy ways that assist you to handle job-related stress
  
• Vigilance - necessary for your own safety: the 10^th burglar alarm you attend may be the one with burglars present
  
• Written communication - clearly express facts, ideas, conclusions in good grammatical form of writing.

Call 0800 NEW COPS (0800 639 2677) today to reserve your place at a Recruitment Seminar. The website for more info is www.newcops.co.nz


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