The energy at the Police recruitment stand at the Maadi Cup rowing regatta in Twizel matched the intensity on the water as athletes brought the excitement ashore.
The regatta, held over a week at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel, is the pinnacle of secondary school rowing in New Zealand. Over the week of the regatta, more than 10,000 athletes, coaches, supporters and spectators spent time in the rowing village, with the Police national recruitment stand consistently packed with visitors.
Canterbury District Commander Tony Hill says national sporting events like Maadi Cup attract exactly the type of young people suited to policing.
“They’re fit, they’re motivated, and they’re disciplined," he says.
"These kids don’t need to be reminded to turn up, train or work hard. They’re self-starters who already know how to work as part of a team and those are the sorts of qualities we’re looking for.”
Police recruiters Constable Gemma Hyde, from Eastern District, and Constable Melani Falaniko, from Counties Manukau, joined local staff on the week-long recruitment stand, answering questions from athletes and their families, and explaining more about working for Police and how to join.
“We’ve had huge engagement from all of the people we’re interacting with,” Gemma says. “People are coming to us. They’re asking really intelligent questions, they’re really engaged, genuinely wanting to know what the process is to join.”
Several promising candidates emerged from conversations at the event, with follow‑ups planned after the school year finishes.
“One boy needed to work on getting his licence, but he’ll hit the button early next year. Just through talking to him and his mum who came over to the tent, he’s a genuine candidate with all the qualities we’re looking for.”
Interactive activities and police equipment also played a key role in drawing crowds, with Police vehicles and hands‑on fitness challenges proving particularly effective.
“Having the toys and the resources helps,” Gemma says. “The Polarise side-by-side vehicles have been amazing – they’re such a drawcard, but even just having the jump test and grip strength really does pull people over.”
The team ran competitions throughout the week tapping into the athletes’ competitive nature and encouraging repeat visits.
“These kids are high‑performing athletes and they’re super competitive. So the press‑up challenge, the jump test, the grip strength – they keep coming back to check the high score and try to beat it. Most of them already meet our Police fitness benchmarks too.”
Read on after this highlight reel of the buzz around the recruitment stand...
Questions from students ranged from fitness expectations to day‑to‑day police work and long‑term career options.
“A lot have been asking about what it’s like to be a cop, real‑life stories about arrests or career paths and the roles I’ve been in myself over eight years,” Gemma says. “Really thoughtful questions.”
Tony says having a visible Police presence at Maadi Cup aligned with operational priorities as well.
“We used it as a deployment base,” says Tony. “With so many people converging on a small town, keeping our roads safe was a big priority too.
“It’s been an awesome event. Having a few ‘toys’ helped draw people in, but really it was the enthusiasm and passion of the Police staff on the stand that kept visitors there – and coming back.
“We were extremely lucky to have Gemma and Melani hosting the stand, supported by our local leads Senior Sergeant Richard Quested and Constable Bob Katene. With the help of other local staff and specialist teams, our presence at the Maadi Cup was a real success.”
