Police college completes another busy year

The thirty-eight new police officers graduating from The Royal New Zealand Police College this Wednesday will boost police ranks over the New Year period when they take up their new roles on 31 December.

They are the last recruits to graduate in 2007, which has been another busy year for The Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua.

A total of 722 sworn officers have joined the organisation this year, which includes 132 former UK police officers who have entered through conversion courses. This compares with 671 sworn staff entering Police in 2006 and 516 in 2005.

Among the new officers graduating tomorrow is South Korean immigrant Yong Suk Lee who arrived in New Zealand as an 11 year-old speaking no English. His first two years were spent with a host family in Christchurch before moving to Auckland where his parents joined him. Yong Suk, or Terry as he is called, is the youngest in the wing, entering at 17 years of age but has an impressive history of community service already, having been a volunteer fire-fighter since he was 15 and having worked as a lifeguard at his local swimming pool. "I have received so much from Aotearoa - the opportunity to start a new life. Now I can return the favour by contributing to the community as a Police officer" he says. Constable Lee is posted to the North Shore Policing Centre in Waitemata, and hopes to eventually become an Asian liaison officer.

After a somewhat circuitous route, Australian Kristen Edgington also graduates tomorrow. Kristen spent most of his teens as a competitive surfer and was placed in the top 15 at national level. He is a qualified Naturopath, having had his own practice for two years and also spent 10 years as a Kung Fu instructor, becoming a 'disciple' to the art. After travelling the world and undertaking a variety of different work Kristen married a New Zealander, and has now settled in Rotorua. Constable Edgington has won the graduation prizes for physical training, defensive tactics and driver training (see prize list below). He is posted to Rotorua.

The graduation will take place at The Royal New Zealand Police College on Wednesday 19 December at 2:00pm (note change of day) and will be attended by Commissioner Howard Broad.


• 38 recruits will graduate - 31 males and 8 females
• The average age of wing members is 29 (the youngest is 18 and the oldest is 47)

To find out more about joining the Police phone 0800 NEW COPS (639 2677) or visit www.betterworkstories.co.nz. Try the on-line test to see if you could make it as an officer in the NZ Police.