Three Kapiti-Mana high schools are introducing the Year 13 Introduction to Police Studies course to their curriculum this year, giving students a taste of what New Zealand Police is all about.
The course will be a new option for students at Aotea, Mana and Kapiti Colleges, following on from a positive reception by students at Rotorua Boys’ High School and Rotorua Girls’ High School in 2018.
The course will cover the context of policing in New Zealand, Mātauranga Maori and Police, leadership in Police, diversity of Policing within the community, and emotional intelligence and Police, among other topics.
In addition to the theory component, students will practice and be tested on the elements of the Physical Appraisal Test (PAT).
The PAT involves a 2.4km run, push-ups, grip strength and a vertical jump and must be passed to gain entry into the Police.
Upon successful completion of the course students will receive 25 NCEA Level 3 credits.
The year-long course also incorporates the content of the 12-week distance course required to be completed by all RNZPC entrants – meaning they will not have to complete this separately as part of their Police College application.
However, they will still need to meet the other entrance requirements .
While it will help students prepare to apply for RNZPC, completion of the NCEA course does not guarantee students a place.
Aotea College Principal Kate Gainsford said the school is looking forward to offering the course this year.
“It is exciting to see the variety of pathways our young adults are preparing for and it’s important to acknowledge the strong collaboration with NZ Police that is making it all happen.”
Police and all three schools recently came together to celebrate launching the course with a pöwhiri at the Royal New Zealand College.
The event was attended by Police Commissioner Mike Bush, Police Minister Hon Stuart Nash, Minister of Civil Defence Kris Faafoi and Kapiti Mana Mayor K Gurunathan, as well as a number of Police staff from the Kapiti-Mana area and The Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC).
Students enjoyed displays from the Police Dog Unit and Armed Offenders Squad after the formal component of the launch – giving them insight into some of the exciting career paths within NZ Police.
“Having this course available to young people in the Kapiti-Mana area is fantastic,” says RNZPC’s Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Kerekere.
“It’s great to be able to engage with local Police hopefuls at a school level.
This will provide a significant career pathway for those who are interested in Policing and who want a taste of what it’s all about.
“It’ll help them understand what NZ Police is trying to achieve, as well as being useful for the recruitment process, such as helping them train for the physical entry requirements.”
