Police is a family, and this was never truer than at the recent graduation of Recruit Wing 378.

Twenty-three members of the 70-strong wing have a familial connection to the organisation. There are usually a good number, but not often that many.

Joining acting Commissioner Jevon McSkimming and Police Executive colleagues on the dais for the ceremony were Wing Patron Hekia Parata, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello.

Jevon formally welcomed the members of Wing 378, and said: “Let me thank you for serving the community, well done and congratulations - what a fantastic achievement.”

Speakers at the graduation included, from left: Leadership Award winner Constable Steven Karehana; Patron Hekia Parata; and acting Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

In his own speech to the wing, Leadership award winner Constable Steven Karehana thanked whānau for their contribution and for stepping up when he and his fellow wing members were undergoing their 20 weeks of initial training at the Royal New Zealand Police College.  

To his wingmates he said: “Wing 378, this is your moment. Enjoy it, be proud of your achievements, hold your head high and remember, we will only be effective when we become part of our community – not above it...  

“For every interaction you have with our tamariki, our mokopuna when they are present, remember what Dame Whina Cooper said ‘Take care of our children.

“Take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see. For how the children grow, so will the shape of Aotearoa’.”

Steven is among wing members with a family member already in Police, in his case a cousin who is a detective.

Before joining Police, he established an annual competition which sees 20 schools and more than 200 children in Rangitikei participating in the traditional Māori sport ki o rahi.

He has also been a mental health kaimahi and a youth mentor.

The family theme continued through the speeches. Patron Hekia spoke of the honour of following her late husband Sir Wira Gardiner into the role.

Sir Wira was patron of Wing 260 in 2009.

She thanked whānau and others for their support for the recruits during their training.

“Let’s spread the word as citizens about the good people who are part of our police,” she said.

“We trust them at our worst times - let’s support them and speak well of them at all times.”

Constables Michelle Hohepa, Praneel Chand, and David Ash, getting a bit of last-minute help with his korowai.

Constable Michelle Hohepa (Counties Manukau) has a whānau connection through her brother-in-law, a senior sergeant in Whangārei.

She said she’s proud to have joined Police in her 40s - and said if she can do it, anyone can.

Michelle was previously nominated for a TV One Seven Sharp Good Sorts Award for ‘Community Cam’(link is external), a system which allows people to register their own security cameras in a way that only Police can access.

For Constable Praneel Chand (Northland), the family connection is with another police service - his brother-in-law is an officer in Fiji Police. 

Praneel, a former dairy farmer, was proud to be celebrating his graduation on Fiji Independence Day.

Constable David Ash (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāi Te Rangi – Wellington District) had a great grandfather who was a police officer.

He proudly graduated wearing a korowai made by his sister. 

As well as family connections, wing members were the customary mix of backgrounds, ethnicities and life experiences – former members of other services, high-achieving sportspeople, volunteers, non-constabulary Police staff and more.

Constables Louise Hunger and Tomasi Nuku.

Constable Louise Hunger (Ngāi Tahu – Central District), a mother of two, worked hard to get to college and credits her family, friends and employers for helping her achieve her dreams.

Constable Tomasi (Masi) Nuku (Counties Manukau) formerly worked for Police in File Management, on the front counter and also as a 111 Communicator in the Police Emergency Communications Centre.

Last words to First in Wing Constable Jesse McIntyre (Canterbury).

“College is where I became part of the Police family,” he said.

“Recruits and staff were welcoming and respectful. From day one you could see the passion and drive that everyone had to serve their communities and help people.

“My advice to anyone thinking of joining is keep true to yourself, remember why you joined and what you are striving to achieve.

“Look after your mates and don’t be afraid to ask for support, we all need a bit of help sometimes…

“Stay humble and take it one day at a time.”

More about Wing 378

Awards

Constables Jesse McIntyre, Steven Karehana and Ethan Comer, winners of the Minister’s Award for First in Wing, Commissioner’s Award for Leadership and Patron’s Award for Second in Wing respectively.

• Minister’s Award for First in Wing - Constable Jesse McIntyre (Canterbury District). Jesse also won the Firearms Award.

• Patron’s Award for Second in Wing - Constable Daniel Coonan (Auckland City)

• Commissioner’s Award for Leadership - Constable Steven Karehana (Central).
• Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Ethan Comer (Bay of Plenty)
• Physical Training and Defensive Tactics: Constable Marthinus Venter (Tasman)

Deployment

The new constables start their first day of duty in their districts on Monday 21 October. They are posted as follows:

Northland 4, Auckland – 7, Waitematā - 3, Counties Manukau - 12, Waikato - 5, Bay of Plenty - 8, Eastern - 3, Central - 7, Wellington - 10, Tasman - 2, Canterbury - 6, Southern - 3.

Demographics

20% female, 80% male. New Zealand European make up 57.2%, with Māori 11.5%, Pasifika 10%, Asian 12.9% and Other 4.3%.

About the Patron

Hekia Parata (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou) has provided 41 years of public service to New Zealand.

She began her career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after graduating from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Māori Studies. 

She worked in a range of public sector organisations, including as General Manager of the Housing Corporation and as Deputy Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri.

Her contributions in the public sector included developing the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as a public policy tool, Tomorrow’s Schools and restructuring the former Department of Māori Affairs into the Ministry of Māori Affairs and the Iwi Transition Agency.

Hekia was a Member of Parliament, representing the National Party, from 2008 until 2017.

Her parliamentary roles included Minister for Women’s Affairs and Ethnic Affairs, Minister of Education and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs.

She retired from politics in 2017, and since then has had several appointments to ministerial inquiries, such as leading the 2023 inquiry into forestry land use after Cyclone Gabrielle.