The curtain has been raised on the sequel to Police-branded buses and train – a former patrol car which has had a dramatic facelift.
After a 200,000km operational life, the former frontline Skoda has been upcycled as a mini cinema screening the latest Police recruitment vlog Ride Along and other recruitment reels.
On Saturday, Commissioner Richard Chambers and the Ride Along cast - Constables Jake Seeley, Sophia Herewini, Steven Karehana and Jess Peyerl – walked the red carpet at the Roxy Cinema in Wellington for the car's unveiling.
The vehicle's makeover includes a widescreen TV (pictured, right), two newly upholstered, comfortable, theatre-style seats – appropriately numbered 111 and 105 - and a handy place for resting popcorn.
It isn’t drivable while in cinema mode, but the refurb can be reversed and it will have another life as part of the Police fleet.
“This is more than just a car, it’s a recruitment experience and it can be turned back into a working car after this campaign,” says Commissioner Chambers. “However now it’s a stationary movie theatre for recruitment purposes.
“We will continue to ramp up our recruitment efforts for this programme of work and applicant numbers remain strong.”
The launch doubled as a fundraiser for the mentoring programme Big Buddy.
“I’ve loved helping with this launch and I’ve met some great people – especially the kids from Big Buddy,” says cast member Steven, from Whanganui.
“It’s important to showcase what we do as police officers, but it’s also important to inspire the next generation to hopefully join Police one day.”
Constable Jess, from Road Policing, Wellington, has enjoyed the Ride Along experience. “It’s been really good filming the series as we can just get on with doing our job while filming happens," she says.
“It certainly makes the shift fun sometimes. I hope this series encourages more people to want to become police officers.”
Big Buddy mentor Constable Jay MacDonald, who is based at Wellington Airport, brought his little buddy Maunga to the event.
Jay says Maunga was nervous about approaching the police officers on Saturday – but “after having a chat with the Commissioner, getting some merchandise and checking out the car cinema I could tell he was absolutely buzzing”.
Maunga walked the red carpet with Commissioner Chambers and even expressed an interest in joining Police before enjoying a sit in the cinema car.
Maunga with Big Buddy Constable Jay MacDonald, Commissioner Chambers and Ride Along star Sophia (obscured).
Police relaunched Ride Along in March to support the drive to recruit 500 new frontline officers. It gives viewers an entertaining but real insight into policing as it follows the four constables and their day-to-day lives.
The mini cinema will now get a general release and will feature at recruitment events across the country, going on the road this month to other parts of New Zealand as part of the ongoing recruitment campaign.
The Roxy, on Park Road, Miramar hosted the recruitment event and then followed with a screening of the latest Fantastic Four movie as a fundraiser for Big Buddy New Zealand.
The media agency, EightyOne Media, commissioned a local Wellington company called Scale Studios who were responsible for the fit-out.