Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Police

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, members of the police executive and wing patron, Jude Simpson MNZM congratulated the 83 graduating constables from Wing 387 this afternoon.

Families and friends watched as the newly attested police officers marched out at Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua. The celebration acknowledged the successful completion of their initial training course at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC). 

New Zealand Police were joined by executives and staff from the Victoria Police of Australia and a minute’s silence was observed during the graduation for the loss of two officers in their jurisdiction last month. 
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, were killed in the line of duty in Porepunkah, Victoria on 26 August 2025.
Commissioner Chambers says, “It is important to mark the service Neal and Vadim gave to their communities, organisation and country.”

The top award winner for wing 387, former teacher and member of the New Zealand Airforce, Constable Sarah Thomas was excited to be heading to Wellington District to start her new career. 
Constable Thomas is no stranger to policing and has worked in the Police Emergency Communications Centre and previously trained recruits as a Defensive Tactics Instructor at the RNZPC before donning the uniform.

“My family have been an amazing support for me coming into this, and I know I couldn’t have done it without them. I also could not have done this without my amazing 387-wing mates, my barrack mates especially. We are honestly like family. I’m also grateful for the support and encouragement of the amazing college staff, (my ex-colleagues), and of course, my section sergeant at the RNZPC.”

Sarah will be based in Wellington District.

Leadership Award Winner, Constable Laura Comerford, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Tapuika (Te Arawa), Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, is thrilled with her success.

“My primary reasons for wanting to join Police are first and foremost my beautiful nieces. I want to be a positive role model for them and encourage them to believe in themselves to achieve their goals. I want to uplift wāhine Māori to aspire to pursue their wildest dreams.  The hardest part for me was believing I was actually good enough to be a police officer. I’d never been the fittest, smartest, or best at anything. Thankfully, I took a leap of faith, trained hard and had some key people that believed in me to help get me through. I’m living proof that with determination, discipline, perseverance and an amazing support system, anything is possible.

Laura will join Sarah in Wellington District.

Deployment:

The new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts on the week beginning Monday 15 September 2025 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.
Northland 1, Tāmaki Makaurau a total of 22 and broken down into the three districts: Auckland City 5, Waitematā 4, Counties Manukau 13, Waikato 9, Bay of Plenty 10, Eastern 2, Central 7, Wellington 16, Canterbury 8, Southern 7.

All Awards: 

Minister’s Award recognising top student and the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Sarah Thomas posted to Wellington District.
Commissioner’s Award for Leadership: Constable Laura Comerford posted to Wellington District
Patron’s Award for second top student: Constable Daniel Brown posted to Canterbury District.
The Firearms Award: Constable Nathan Forster posted to Waitematā District.
Driver Training and Road Policing Award: Valentine Beattie posted to Eastern District.

Demographics:

25.3 percent are female, 74.7 percent are male. New Zealand European make up 68 percent of the wing, with Māori 12 percent, Pasifika 4.8 percent, Asian 12 percent, LAAM 2.4 percent.

Wing Patron, Jude Simpson MNZM, is a family harm education and training specialist. She is passionate about empowering victims of family harm to live their life to their full potential.
Jude has been working for the past 11 years at the Royal New Zealand Police College as the lead Family Harm Facilitator. She designed, developed, and delivers training for recruits on family harm from the perspectives of a victim and a perpetrator. Alongside other family harm training, this gives recruits a full view of family harm and how to respond to it with empathy and understanding.
Jude has also worked for Presbyterian Support Northern as a Family Violence Advocate and while in this role designed, developed, and delivered a programme for the Department of Corrections focusing on low-risk women offenders. The objective of the programme was to build self-esteem and empower and support the women into work or training.
Over the years, Jude has become a skilled presenter and facilitator, and she has spoken at many conferences as the keynote speaker.
Jude was the lead female spokesperson for the “It’s not ok” national campaign for several years and helped raise awareness of family harm and the needs of victims. She was the project lead on Mangere College becoming the first school in the country to be an “It’s not ok” school.
In 2018 Jude was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her contribution and work relating to family harm. 

ENDS

Watch out for our Ten One story coming soon with more images and stories.

If you’re interested in joining police check out newcops.govt.nz

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The next road rebuild work for Ōhau is about to get underway on State Highway 1.

The next road rebuild work for Ōhau is about to get underway on State Highway 1.

It follows similar work currently being completed on State Highway 1, near Kuku.

Media release 15 August 2025 – Drainage works and road rebuild planned for State Highway 1 at Kuku

Road crews will be on site at Ōhau, near Muhunoa West/East Roads for up to two weeks of night works, starting Monday, 15 September.

The state highway rebuild will be underway Sunday to Thursday nights from 8 pm to 4.30 am. No work will be done between Friday morning and Sunday evening. 

Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Transport Alliance Manager, says the section of the state highway has reached the end of its life.

“It is at a stage where standard repairs are no longer suitable or effective long-term.”

“What we are going to do is complete a full road rebuild. This requires a full excavation of the road and then reconstructing it from the ground up. The end result is a much more durable pavement, one that will need less maintenance in the future,” Ms Hilliard says.

She says that rebuilds are more disruptive than standard road maintenance and resurfacing because of the excavation and construction involved.

“Stop/Go traffic management will be in place at night, and temporary speed limits will be active during the day.”

“This does mean drivers can expect travel delays while the project is underway, particularly between Muhunoa West Road and Victoria Terrace. We appreciate this may cause some frustration, but a road rebuild like this cannot be done without affecting the community.”

Ms Hilliard asks that people be patient and respect the traffic management in place.

“Heavy machinery will be operating, and it is important everyone, workers and the public, are kept safe.”

“There will be some short-term pain from these works, but they will be more than offset by the long-term gain of having a much-improved road surface.”

The rebuild will affect access to State Highway 1 from Bishops Road. For safety reasons, it will be closed to traffic at night. Bishops Road residents will have to access State Highway 1 via Muhunoa East Road instead.

Road Works Schedule and Location:

Monday, 15 September to Friday, 26 September. Sunday to Thursday nights, 8 pm to 4:30 am (weather permitting)

• Stop/Go Traffic management and 30 km/h temporary speed limit
• A temporary speed limit will also apply outside of work hours

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Construction crews are powering through early works on State Highway 2 (SH2) near Te Karaka, laying the foundation for a major flood resilience upgrade designed to reduce road closures and keep communities connected during severe weather.

The Hakanui Straight flood resilience upgrade will raise an 850-metre flood-prone section of highway by 3 metres. The project also includes new drainage systems, upgraded culverts, and safety barriers.

Over the past two months, the Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) team and local crews have focused on early enabling works, but major earthworks get underway very shortly.

Media release 20 July 2025 – Work begins soon to raise flood-prone area near Te Karaka, SH2

TREC Project Manager Richard Bayley says crews are starting work around the Hakanui Stream, where a new culvert, measuring 1.8-metres in diameter, will be installed. Part of the stream will also be realigned to improve water movement and reduce erosion.

“At 1.8 metres in diameter, the culvert is big enough for someone to stand upright in, and larger than most used across the state highway network,” Mr Bayley says.

“The size reflects the scale of the challenge here, we’re building for future weather, not just today’s conditions.”

Culvert and drainage work will continue into Spring. Starting in mid-September, crews will begin lifting and rebuilding the southern side of the road, with work expected to continue through November, when they will switch to the other side of the highway (weather permitting). 

Recent work has included relocating fibre cables and power poles and preparing the ground for the upcoming major earthworks. Environmental protections, such as drainage channels and silt fences, have been put in place to safeguard the Hakanui Stream and support native fish life.

Traffic impact

Drivers are encouraged to allow up to 10 minutes of travel time through the site during the work, as lane changes, shoulder closures, and stop/go traffic management will be in place at various stages until work wraps up in mid-2026.

As the project progresses, NZTA will keep people updated with any substantial changes to the traffic management requirements in the area.

We appreciate people’s patience as this work progresses.

Cultural and environmental benefits

Alongside the early construction work, multiple cultural inductions have been delivered by kaitiaki from Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki.

Kaitiaki of Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Pimia Wehi, says these sessions ensure contractors understand the cultural and environmental significance of the site before they start work.

“Sharing the story of this whenua means everyone working here is well prepared to work respectfully and responsibly on whenua that holds deep meaning to local communities,” she says.

More information is available on the project website:

Hakanui Straight Flood Resilience or by signing up to: 

TREC fortnightly updates(external link)

About the name Hakanui Straight

The project name is ‘Hakanui Straight’ but was formerly Nesbitt’s Dip. This is a change requested by hapū and Iwi representatives as the name reflects the area’s cultural and historical significance. The Hakanui Stream was important for local food gathering, mahinga kai, and as a travel route for waka.

With the road being elevated to ensure safer and quicker evacuations during floods, ‘Straight’ (rather than ‘Dip’), embodies strength, directness, and a clear path forward.

What’s changing at Hakanui Straight?

• An 850-metre section of SH2 will be raised by approximately three metres to reduce flood risks and keep the road open in severe weather. 
• The Hakanui Stream culvert will be upgraded with a larger, 1.8-metre-diameter structure to handle higher water volumes, prevent highway flooding and allow safe fish passage to protect local aquatic life.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are pleased to invite media to the launch of the Crowded Places Escape, Hide, Tell public information campaign in Wellington on Monday.

Date/time: Monday 8 September, 1.45pm set up for a 2.10pm start.

Who: Associate Minister of Police, Hon. Casey Costello and Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson will attend and be available for media after their speeches.

We ask media interested in attending to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz for further detail. 

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Police will have an increased presence around Christchurch in the coming days after an unsuccessful attempt to start a fire at a local gang pad.

Flammable projectiles were thrown at the fence of a property on Cuffs Road about 7.30am today.

The fence did not catch fire, causing minimal damage.

Inspector Craig Scott says Police will not stand by as gangs create chaos in our communities.

“While this morning’s incident didn’t result in any significant harm, the violent actions of gangs cause real unease, particularly for any witnesses or those living nearby.   

“Christchurch residents can expect to see an increased Police presence as we look to prevent any further offending.”

Anyone with information that may assist these efforts is urged to contact Police via 105, over the phone or online.

Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are responding to a car fire on State Highway 1 near Grafton.

The incident was reported at 1.09pm and has occurred on southbound lanes just after the on-ramp from the port link.

No one has been injured inside the vehicle.

Traffic is being impacted in both directions due to smoke.

Please expect delays in the area.

ENDS

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

101,000 Year 1-8 students and their teachers will benefit from the skills and support of a Learning Support Coordinator (LSC) working in their school next year.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are asking for the public’s help finding Alyssa, who has been reported missing from the Dairy Flat area.

The 16-year-old was last seen yesterday afternoon and was wearing a maroon hoody with a white zip.

Alyssa is described as between 160cm-170cms tall with brown hair and green eyes.

She is known to frequent the Dairy Flat, Hobsonville and Flat Bush areas.

Police and Alyssa’s family have concerns for her welfare and would like to find her as soon as possible.

If you have seen Alyssa or have information that might help us find her, please call 111 and quote reference number 250905/0579.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has announced five immediate actions to expand the support available for people sleeping rough and help them into social homes, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say.

“Homelessness has been a problem in New Zealand for decades. It is rooted in our broken housing system, and becomes more severe during challenging economic times,” Mr Bishop says.

“It’s very difficult to get accurate numbers of people living without shelter because people in these circumstances often move around and avoid engaging with government services, but it’s clear that rough sleeping is a genuine problem. 

“The Government already spends more than half a billion dollars annually on a range of homelessness support programmes, including transitional housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and emergency housing, among others. When added to social housing, the Accommodation Supplement and Temporary Additional Support, we spend more than $5 billion annually on housing support. But we can and will do more for rough sleepers.

“The Government will take five immediate actions aimed at supporting rough sleepers into stable housing.

“The first is to expand the Housing First programme. Housing First is a successful programme, started under the previous National-led government, which supports people experiencing chronic homelessness into permanent housing. It also provides tailored support to help people live in the home and build a better life.

“Housing First delivers results – but it there are still a lot of people identified within the Housing First programme in need of stable housing. So today we can announce that the Government will fund an additional 300 social homes for Housing First, effective immediately. The focus for these additional social homes will be rough sleepers.

“These additional social homes, likely to be mostly one-bedroom homes, will be leased from the private rental market in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch rather than built new. Leasing existing homes is a deliberate choice – it means Housing First providers can immediately begin contracting the homes and supporting people into them without the time lag caused by consenting and building. 

Minister Potaka says the second action is to provide $10 million additional funding for support services for people sleeping rough. The intention here is to provide additional funding for services that are already established and have proven success. These services are likely to be specific to certain locations – because what works in Christchurch may not work in Hamilton and vice versa. Officials will work with trusted frontline experts to identify the services this funding should go towards.

“The third action, which is already underway, is work to increase the efficiency of transitional housing. This means making sure that we have the right transitional housing properties in the right locations and with the right providers to ensure we can better support demand. There could be some rebalancing of places towards providers who have demonstrated an ability and willingness to work with rough sleepers.

“Ministers have directed officials to significantly increase this occupancy rate by ensuring transitional housing places are located in the areas with the greatest demand, reducing turnaround time between tenants, and speeding up the time it takes to move a new client into transitional housing. This will mean fewer units sitting vacant and more homeless people being housed.

“The fourth action is I expect that MSD assess all beneficiaries going into these social homes for good cause to redirect their benefit to contribute to accommodation costs. 

“Most people in social housing pay a contribution of 25 per cent of their income. Beneficiaries in social housing can choose to pay this through a direct deduction from their benefit – but many choose not to. Non-payment of rent over a sustained period can eventually result in tenancy termination and homelessness. Implementing a redirection where good cause exists was a recommendation from a frontline homelessness provider. 

“And the fifth action is to encourage Ministry of Social Development (MSD) staff to use greater discretion when assessing emergency housing applications. 

“We are not changing the requirements people need to meet to qualify for emergency housing. Those requirements are firm but fair, and to relax them risks going back to the emergency housing motel catastrophe under the previous government when thousands of families and children were consigned to live in dank motel rooms for months or even years on end.

“But MSD staff can and do use their discretion when assessing emergency housing applications. Together with Social Development Minister Louise Upston, we are making it clearer to those staff that they should feel empowered to use their good judgement and common sense when determining whether someone should qualify.”

“The Government is committed to delivering the right homes, in the right places, with the right supports for rough sleepers. These five actions will help to deliver on this commitment,” Mr Potaka says.

Notes to editor:

Housing First

Housing First is a programme that helps people who have been homeless for at least a year move into permanent housing. It’s designed for those sleeping rough or in places not meant for living, like cars or garages, and who have complex needs such as mental health or addiction issues. 

Once housed, people get tailored support for as long as needed. People can access Housing First through referrals from health, mental health, income support, police, education, probation, iwi and community services. It’s available in regions like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Whangārei, Nelson, Blenheim, Hawke’s Bay and the Far North.

Read more about Housing First

Transitional housing programme

Transitional housing provides short-term accommodation for people and whānau who urgently need a place to stay. It’s designed to help those who’ve lost their rental, can’t stay with family, or are moving out of emergency housing. It includes new builds, repurposed homes and leased properties. 

Read more about transitional housing

Explanation of Accommodation Supplement

The Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment to help people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home.

Read more about the Accommodation Supplement