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Scoop, New Zealand
31 March 2006

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Royal New Zealand Police Colle

Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Helen Clark
Royal New Zealand Police College, 25th Anniversary Dinner, Police College, Porirua

I would like to thank Acting Commissioner Steve Long for the invitation to speak here tonight at the official celebration of the Royal New Zealand Police College's 25th anniversary. Thank you also to Training Commander Superintendent Olly Beckett and all your staff who are here tonight.

I would also like to acknowledge the Police College's first Training Commander, retired Superintendent Maurice Cummings, who has shared his insights into the early days of the Police College here in Porirua.

When the New Zealand Police Force was formed in 1886 there was no structured, co-ordinated training for new officers. The first centralised training began in 1898 at the Mt Cook Police Station. When the national training centre moved down to Lyttelton in 1953, I understand that there was just one instructor, Senior Sergeant Ted Hotham.

Now, the Royal New Zealand Police College employs approximately 260 staff. This expansion not only reflects the growth in New Zealand's population, but also the increasing professionalism of the police.

I understand that in 1998 the New Zealand Police joined the Australian Police Professional Standards Council, which aims to improve police professionalism.

Another example of the commitment to increased professionalism is the agreement reached in 2000, between the New Zealand Police and Victoria University, to provide purpose designed tertiary courses for police staff.

Ongoing training in specialist areas, and refresher training courses on offer here at the College, mean police officers continue to develop skills throughout their career in the force. This commitment to higher education and ongoing training is very much in line with our government's focus on creating a knowledge-based economy and society.

A professional, honest police force is a critical asset for any nation - and our force is looked to as a model by many. New Zealand Police continue to be in demand offshore, and have been sent in recent years to Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan, and Niue.

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The Police College is at the forefront of building New Zealand Police relationships with overseas jurisdictions, including training arrangements with many Pacific nations. As well, every year the Police College hosts many international visitors from police and related services. In recent years, I understand there has been a significant increase in the number of visits to the Police College from South East Asian countries.

The New Zealand Police are known, both overseas and here at home, for being a proud, disciplined, and loyal force, and for having a strong ethos of service to the community.

Despite this well-earned reputation, it is inevitable that interactions between the Police and the public will not always be smooth, and that the Police will come under intense scrutiny at times. In recent years that scrutiny has generated criticism which at times has been unfair and even destructive.

I want to acknowledge the continued professionalism of the Police under this pressure, and their determination to deliver good service to the community. Our crime rate is at its lowest since 1982, and we have the highest crime resolution rate since 1987. These results could not be achieved without the hard work of the Police.

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Article sourced from

Scoop, New Zealand31 March 2006

Royal New Zealand Police Colle

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Scoop, New Zealand
31 March 2006