What Jobs Are Available with the New Zealand Police?
The New Zealand Police work tirelessly with communities to ensure the safety of their citizens while earning the trust and confidence of those they serve. More than 13,000 staff members respond to over 860,000 emergency calls each year. While those on the force have several responsibilities, some essential functions include keeping the peace, crime prevention, and community support and reassurance.
The police force operates in alignment with six core values:
- Commitment to Māori and the Treaty
- Empathy
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Respect
- Valuing Diversity
The New Zealand Police frequently seek new employees who embody these core values to join their team. There are several types of jobs in the force that applicants can apply to, including:
- Frontline Response: This includes the general duties constable, road policing, and Sergeant.
- Investigation and Leadership: Roles in this department include groups like the Child Protection Team, Prosecutions, Forensics, and Detective work.
- Prevention and Community: These roles work hand-in-hand with the community and include groups such as youth aid, school community officers, and neighbourhood policing teams.
- Specialist Squads: These groups respond to specialised situations and include teams such as the Dive Squad, Special Tactics Group, Seach and Rescue, and the Armed Offenders Squad.
What Is the Recruitment Process at the NZ Police?
Online Application and Background Check
The first step in the New Zealand Police recruitment process is to submit an online application for the specific location you want to work. Their website will detail which districts are currently accepting applications. You’ll need to make an online account to complete an application form.
The application form will ask for contact information, personal details such as immigration status, passport, and driver’s license number, and past addresses. You’ll also answer a few basic questions related to your integrity. Note that you will not upload a CV at this time. This will be done later in the hiring process.
It is crucial to confirm that all the information provided in your application is correct because this will be used to conduct a background check, which will include the following:
- Prior offences or convictions
- Credit check
- Fingerprint clearance
- Core children’s worker check
- Immigration check
- Reference checks
- Overseas police clearance (if relevant)
- Military clearance (if needed)
- Ministry of Social Development benefit check (if relevant)
There will also be background checks for your partner if you have one, family, and friends.
Initial Phone Interview
Applicants who pass the initial background checks will be contacted to schedule an screening phone interview. This will only last about 15 minutes, and the primary goal will be for the recruiter to learn more about you and your basic qualifications for the role. For example, you may be asked your most recent 2.4km run time to confirm that you are close to meeting the basic physical fitness requirements for the position.
This will also be a time for you to ask any questions about the recruitment process and the position itself. Make sure you have done all of your research ahead of time and only ask questions you can’t find the answers to on your own.
Aptitude Ability Tests
The next stage of the pre-employment process will be the assessment stage. Doing well in this stage is critical to your success in the recruitment process. First, you will take an ability assessment that examines whether you have the intellectual skills needed to do well in the position. You will have 30 minutes to answer 60 multiple-choice questions. The exam will include each of the following question types but note that there are no specified sections in this test, so the questions will be in a randomised order.
- Numerical Reasoning Test Questions – The numerical reasoning questions will assess your ability to work with numbers and interpret data. These skills are crucial in several police roles. For example, working in the Financial Crime Unit, you may need to work with numbers to understand the crime. Or, if you are working as a Detective, you may need to interpret data to understand trends and find patterns.
These types of questions will involve different mathematical concepts, such as:
- Fractions
- Ratios
- Percentages
- Sequences
- General arithmetic
- Simple algebra
- Currency conversation
- Charts
- Tables
- Graphs
- Verbal Reasoning Test Questions – The verbal reasoning questions will assess your ability to read, absorb, and analyse written information quickly. You will receive a short paragraph and answer multiple-choice questions about the text. Many of these questions will present a statement, and you must determine if the conclusion is true, false, or if you cannot say based on the provided information. There may also be grammar, spelling, or language use questions in the paragraph.
- Abstract Reasoning Test Questions – The last question type you will encounter is abstract reasoning questions. These will assess your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The questions will include a series of shapes and symbols, and you must identify the pattern and select which symbol is missing from the series or which comes next in the sequence from the given options.
These patterns often include figure manipulations such as translations, rotations, mirroring, and transformation. Study these different patterns to easily recognise them on the exam.
- Personality Test – In addition to the aptitude ability tests, applicants for the New Zealand Police must also take a personality exam. This psychometric exam will give the hiring team a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses you can bring to the team. It will also highlight your behavioural traits, motivations, and collaborative skills, which are critical when determining whether you are a good fit for the position. The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and is untimed but should only take about 15 minutes to complete. It is essential to be truthful in your responses and take only a short time to select an answer.
Before taking the personality test, you should study the New Zealand Police website to learn more about their core values and the type of recruit they seek. This information can help guide your responses in the exam; however, it is important to not lie because it will be apparent in your personality profile if you do so.
Medical Check
Candidates who do well on the assessments will graduate to the initial medical check, assessing if they meet the suitable fitness and medical requirements. These tests may include a vision exam, an asthma questionnaire, or a full medical assessment.
This stage of the process will take about three weeks to complete.
Additional Information
Candidates who pass the initial medical examination will complete additional information on their background. This will include uploading your CV, providing your entire work and educational history, and recounting your volunteer and community work. As with any position, you should tailor your CV to the role’s responsibilities and ensure that it aligns with the core values of the New Zealand Police.
Physical Appraisal Test
Job seekers who qualify after the additional information round will take their first Physical Appraisal Test or PAT. This will be the first of two PATs you will take, the second being 2 – 3 months before you begin police training.
This test will require you to demonstrate your fitness in four categories: running, vertical jumps, push-ups, and grip strength. Throughout the exam, you will receive points based on your performance. To pass this exam, you need at least one point in each category and a total of 11 points minimum.
SCOPE
Once you pass the initial PAT, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside a qualified police officer in what is known as the SCOPE stage of the hiring process. SCOPE stands for Surroundings, Conditions, Organisation, People (and Prospects), and Effects, the different elements you will get to experience first-hand while in the field.
This stage will include four ten-hour shifts where you are observed in action for the values and skills you must possess to succeed in the force. You will also be required to keep a workbook during this stage to document your experiences and provide reflections on the work.
Doing well on the SCOPE is essential to your success in the hiring process because this is the first time the officers will see how you behave in person and on duty.
Formal Interview
The last official stage of the hiring process is the formal interview with a recruiter. Much of this interview will be competency and behaviour-based, where you will need to provide concrete examples of situations where you were successful in relevant work situations. For the New Zealand Police interview, this could include times when you worked with others, problem-solved, went above and beyond the call of duty, or demonstrated one of their core values in a specific way.
As with any behavioural interview, it is best to format your responses using the STAR framework:
- Situation: Start by describing the situation in detail so the interviewer understands the situation. Give just enough background information to set up the story so the rest of your response makes sense.
- Task: Then, state the task that needed to be done. What was the problem you were trying to solve or the goal you needed to accomplish?
- Action: Next, detail the action you took to complete the task. What specific steps did you take towards the goal?
- Result: Lastly, describe the result of the situation. What happened after your action, and how did that compare to the original goal or task? Were there any other consequences or benefits that resulted directly from your efforts?
In addition to the verbal interview, candidates will complete a typing test. Documentation is a large part of police work, so all applicants must be computer literate and type at least 25 words per minute.
Final Checks
After the formal interview, the New Zealand Police may do a final round of reference checks to ensure you are suitable for the position. After all references have been contacted, you will enter the candidate pool and be considered for upcoming wing opportunities. A “wing” is what the New Zealand Police calls their upcoming intakes into Police College.
There are several wings each year, and once you are selected for one, it should begin in about 3 months. Before entering, you must do a final medical check and PAT to ensure you are still medically and physically qualified for the position.
How to Prepare for the New Zealand Police Assessment?
The New Zealand Police recruitment process can seem daunting, but you need to prepare for three main parts: assessments, physical qualifications, and the interview.
Before you begin the hiring process, consider preparing for the assessment portion. Those who do not pass the assessments will be disqualified early. Therefore, it is essential to adequately study and score as high as possible on these exams.
There are online resources that can help you prepare for the ability and personality tests. In particular, online practice tests are a great way to rehearse your timing and better understand the questions on the exam. Because the New Zealand Polie exam covers numerical, verbal, and abstract reasoning questions and a personality test, you’ll want to take practice tests in each topic area to gain exposure in each and fully prepare for the exam.
Next are the physical qualifications. You’ll want to research these qualifications before you begin the recruitment process so you have time to work on your fitness ahead of the exam. Though the physical test is not until the middle of the process, you will be asked how you compare to the fitness qualifications during your initial interview. Be sure to train in advance and work on any areas you lack.
Lastly, you must do well in your formal interview to qualify for the New Zealand Police College. Research interview tips and techniques and work on your responses to common behavioural questions beforehand. You can also use online practice tests to prepare for the typing exam you must take during this process stage.
Applicants who take the time to properly prepare for the assessments they encounter during the New Zealand Police recruitment process tend to do better than those who did no preparation. Therefore, be sure to take advantage of all the available resources and give yourself adequate time to study to succeed in the hiring process.
