New Zealand Police is celebrating the graduation of four former Australian officers from the first Accelerated Policing Course.
The officers have more than 30 years of combined policing experience and most recently served for Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia Police.
“These officers will be great assets to New Zealand Police,” says Jeanette Park, Assistant Commissioner Deployment.
“They come to our shores with knowledge from both urban and rural policing. We’re lucky to have them.”
“We knew they were all good police officers, but they just needed to learn about our policing powers and the way New Zealand Police deliver services,” she says.
The Accelerated Policing Couse was launched in May as a pathway for experienced overseas officers.
Across the course the officers spent five weeks in the classroom before deploying alongside Field Training Officers in the Wellington District to test their skills on the frontline.
Superintendent Sam Keats, Director of the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC), acknowledges the work of the officers and their journey.
“They have invested a huge amount of time and energy into building their knowledge over the last 10 weeks,” says Superintendent Keats.
“Across their district-wide deployment in Wellington, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kapiti-Mana, they managed a wide range of activities including bail breach enforcement, family harm investigations, multiple prosecution files and a massive 739 breath screening tests.”
The officers will be deployed to Eastern, Central and two to Wellington District.
The next Accelerated Policing Course will run again early next year.
Graduating alongside the four Australian officers today were members of wing 398 the Chris Cahill wing. The sixty-one new constables completed their 20-week training course and will start their first day of duty in their Police districts on the week beginning Monday 10 August 2026. They will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.
The 398 wing have been deployed to the following districts; Northland 1, Tāmaki Makaurau a total of 26 and broken down into the three districts: Auckland City 7, Waitematā 9, Counties Manukau 10, Waikato 6, Eastern 5, Central 5, Wellington 14, Tasman 1, Canterbury 3.
If you are a Police officer outside of New Zealand who is interested in the next Accelerated Policing Course visit www.newcops.govt.nz to find out more and express your interest.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre