Take the test and win an iPodQuestions
Entry requirements & process
- Do the police have a cut off age?
- I’ve had some speeding tickets can I still join the police?
- What activities outside police can I take up that will make me a better police applicant?
- Can I do work experience with the police?
- What is the selection process?
- If my partner/brother has a conviction will that exclude me?
- Do I need to be able to swim?
- I wear contact lenses/glasses, can I still join the police?
- What assessments will I be required to complete before entering the police college?
- When is the next seminar?
- What's your policy regarding applicants with drink driving charges?
- Once I've passed the assessments and entry requirements, how long would I have to wait before I can go to police college?
Life at the police college
- Would I get paid while I train at police college?
- Could I return home while I train at police college?
- Are there childcare facilities at the police college?
- How much would I earn when I start?
Working life & career development
Answers
Entry requirements & process
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What are the age requirements?
You must be 18 at the time of graduation from the Royal New Zealand police college. There is no maximum age restriction.
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I’ve had some speeding tickets, can I still join the police?
You may be able to enter the police college with some minor convictions (e.g. traffic offences). Backgrounds are considered via our offence clearance process. To begin the offence clearance process you must write a letter of explanation, which is then followed up by an interview with a recruitment staff member.
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What activities outside police could I take up that will make me a better police applicant?
Activities that exercise the mind and body will help to make you a better applicant. This would include study, using computers and other forms of technology and taking part in activities that improve your strength and fitness. A lot of police work involves working with others so activity that improves your communication and interaction skills would also be useful.
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Can I do work experience with NZ Police?
All new recruits are required to undertake SCOPE - through SCOPE candidates accompany frontline staff for 40 hours - this acts as a form of work experience and gives people a good opportunity to the sort of work that is carried out by NZ Police.
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What is the selection process?
- Attend a seminar or view it online here. Upon completion you will fill out an application/registration form
- Take part in a testing day. Complete assessments in Abstract, Numerical and Verbal Reasoning, Psychological profiling, Physical Appraisal Test (PAT), Physical Competency Test (PCT)
- Attend a formal interview
- SCOPE (spending time with police staff while they undertake their shifts)
- Reference checks
- Select your posting preference
- Final medical examination
- Conditional acceptance letter
- Call-up to the Royal New Zealand police college
- Final PAT
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If my partner or close relative has a conviction will that exclude me?
Not necessarily, every applicant is considered on a case by case basis. If any issues arise, thorough background checks and home visits are undertaken and the applicant is assessed according to their own merit.
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Do I need to be able to swim?
Applicants need to be able to pass our swimming test which involves:
- Swimming 50 metres within 54 seconds
- Treading water for 5 minutes
- Duck Diving 3 metres to retrieve a rubber brick.
Candidates who are undertaking their testing in Auckland must have obtained their swimming certificate before they attend testing day.
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I wear contact lenses/ glasses, can I still join the police?
Yes, you are able to wear eye glasses or contact lenses. Applicants must have good eyesight, defined as a minimum visual standard of 6/12 unaided in each eye, correctable to 6/6 with contact lenses. There are no exceptions to this.
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What assessments are required before entering the police college?
You will be required to do assessments in:
- English
- Abstract reasoning
- Numerical and verbal reasoning
- Personality profile
- Physical appraisal test (PAT) (run, press ups, jumps and squeeze test)
- Physical competency test (PCT)
- SCOPE (40 Hours Frontline)
Before entering the police college, you must have:
- At least a restricted drivers license and must have a full New Zealand Drivers License at the time of graduation.
- Defensive drivers certificate
- First aid certificate
- Swimming certificate
- Typing (25 wpm) & computer skills test.
Your recruitment officer will help you to access information about these individual courses.
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When is the next seminar?
Seminars are regularly held in many locations around New Zealand, and weekly in Auckland. For details about the next seminar in your area call 0800 NEWCOPS.
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What's your policy regarding applicants with drink driving charges?
NZ Police will not recruit people for police officer positions if they have any drink driving convictions. People who have been acquitted of drink driving charges will be carefully considered on a case by case basis.
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Once I've passed the assessments and entry requirements, how long would I have to wait before I can go to police college?
Current police college intakes are mainly for staff who wish to work in Counties Manukau but things can change in a short period of time. When opportunities do arise, recruitment staff will select the most appropriate candidate from the pool of potential recruits who are available at the time. You will be considered amongst other potential recruits as soon as you have passed the recruitment assessments and completed the process.
Life at the police college
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Could I get paid while I train at police college?
Yes, you would be paid $34,962.05 gross per annum (total package $38,730.59), during the 19 weeks training period.
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Could I return home while I train at police college?
Yes, you can return home most weekends, however there will be some weekends where you will be required to stay at the College.
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Are there childcare facilities at the police college?
There are no childcare or accommodation facilities for your family, however, you will be able to go home most weekends to visit your family.
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How much would I earn when I start?
Upon graduation you will earn a salary of $51,148.08 per annum (gross) and be entitled to a total package of $57,260.00.
Working life & career development
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Would I have to do shift work, if so what are the rosters?
All probationary constables (police college graduates) and most police officers work on a rostered basis. There are typically three shifts; 6:30am to 3:30pm, 1:30pm to 11:30pm and 10:30pm to 6:30am. The length of the shifts is balanced somewhat by the fact that officers commonly get 3-4 days off rather than two. Working groups work various shifts within a five week (39 day) period with 26 days at work and 13 days off.
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Can I go straight into forensics/dog handling?
Once you have finished training at the Royal New Zealand police college there is a period of two years where you will be required to work as a probationary constable for two years. Once you have completed this requirement, you are able to branch off into a specialised area. To find more about the different specialist areas within Police, see Careers A-Z.
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Can I choose where I get posted?
Yes
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Does the NZ Police pay for tertiary studies?
Yes—New Zealand Police pays for tertiary study that is related to its employees’ work.