Graduation 'hat trick' for new constable

Thirty seven new constables will graduate from The Royal New Zealand Police College in Wing 265 tomorrow. Their wing patron is Retired Rear Admiral David Ian Ledson, ONZM, CRSNZ.

Constable Lyndon McGaughran, posted to Lower Hutt, has taken a 'hat trick' of prizes including the top award of First in Wing.

Elated Acting Wellington District Commander, Inspector Richard Chambers, says "It's been some time since the district has received an injection of new staff and for one to be top of the wing is just fantastic."

Multiple prize winner and great all-rounder
Constable McGaughran won the Minister's Prize for First in Wing, the Intergraph Computer Skills Prize as the overall winner in computer studies, and the International Police Association Academic Prize for the overall winner of academic exams 1, 2 and 3.

McGaughran not only excelled in his studies during the 19-week course, he also took out the inaugural Geoff Hancock Memorial Cup for the inter-section Cross Country Champs.

Pictured left to right: New staff member Constable Lyndon McGaughran with Acting Wellington District Commander Richard Chambers.

Members of Wing 265 have been posted to stations throughout the country.

They will be posted to:

Southern: Gore (1)
Canterbury: Christchurch (4), Timaru (1)
Tasman: Greymouth (1)
Wellington: Lower Hutt (1), Wellington Central (2)
Central: Palmerston North (1), Levin (2), Hawera (1), Whanganui (1)
Eastern: Gisborne (1), Wairoa (1), Hastings (1)
Bay of Plenty: Whakatane (1), Rotorua (1), Tokoroa (1)
Waikato: Huntly (1), Hamilton (3)
Auckland: Auckland Central (4)
Counties-Manukau: Otahuhu (3), Howick (1)
Waitemata: Henderson (1), North Shore (1), Orewa (1)
Northland: Kaikohe (1)

Wing 265 prize winners:

•Minister's Prize for First in Wing was awarded to Constable Lyndon McGaughran, posted to Lower Hutt. Constable McGaughran was also awarded the International Police Association Academic Prize (overall winner for Academic Exams 1, 2 & 3) and the Intergraph Computer Skills Prize (overall winner in computer studies).

•Commissioner's Prize for Second in Wing was awarded to Constable Damian Dellabarca posted to Christchurch.

•Patron's Prize for Third in Wing was awarded to Constable Melissa Harper, posted to Whanganui. Constable Harper was also awarded the Ericsson Practical Prize for the overall winner for practical assessments, skills files & forensic fingerprinting.

•The Meltzer Prize for Weapon Training was awarded to Constable Dean Erickson, posted to Whanganui.

•The Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award and the Holden Tactical Skills & Safety Prize (overall winner in defensive tactics, firearms & driving) was awarded to Constable Shaun Winstanley, posted to Howick.

•The Driver Training Award was awarded to Constable Leanne Meikle, posted to Wellington Central.

Police Association Prizes for Section Achievement:

This prize is awarded to an individual from each section who, in the collective view of the members of the section and the wing instructors, made the greatest contribution to the overall success of the team.

• Section One Constable Julie Cowley, posted to Huntly
• Section Two Constable Michael West, posted to Tokoroa

Graduation will take place at The Royal New Zealand Police College, Papakowhai Rd, Porirua, on Thursday 17 February at 2:00pm. The ceremony will be attended by the Honourable Judith Collins, Minister of Police, and Police Commissioner Howard Broad. This will be the last graduation Commissioner Broad will attend before his retirement.

Barbara Devery (the patron’s wife) will be attending in place of David Ledson who is currently overseas.

Wing Patron: Retired Rear Admiral David Ian Ledson, ONZM, CRSNZ

After an illustrious naval career spanning 42 years, Rear Admiral David Ledson retired on 30 April 2009 as Chief of Navy.

Born in Reefton on 13 January 1951, he was educated at Inangahua College and Christchurch Boy’s High School. He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Cadet Midshipman in January 1967 and underwent his initial training at the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay.

Rear Admiral Ledson made a commitment to learning throughout his naval career. From 1969 to 1971 he studied at Auckland University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. He was then posted to HMNZS TARANAKI for sea training before going to the United Kingdom for operations courses. He has also attended warfare courses in the United Kingdom specialising in navigation, was posted to the Royal Australian Naval Staff College in Sydney in 1984, and to the United States Naval War College, Rhode Island between July 1994 and June 1995.

Some of the positions Rear Admiral Ledson held during his naval career included: Chief of Naval Development on the staff of the Chief of Naval Staff, Director of Resource Policy on the staff of the Chief of Defence Force, and Captain Fleet Support on the staff of the Maritime Commander in Auckland. He was promoted to Flag Rank and appointed Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in April 2000. On 1 July 2001 with the establishment of Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand, Rear Admiral Ledson assumed the position of Maritime Component Commander at that Headquarters. He took up the position of Chief of Navy and was promoted to Rear Admiral on 8 April 2004.

Since his retirement Rear Admiral Ledson continues his relationship with the Navy as a Trustee on the Royal New Zealand Navy Museum’s Board of Trustees. He is Chair of the Maritime New Zealand Authority, as well as being Chair of the National War Memorial Advisory Council.

He is an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Rear Admiral Ledson is married to Barbara Devery and they live in Wellington.