Police work offers variety and the chance to help people

Jade Seator, police officer. Photo/John Borren

Name: Jade Seator
Job title: Public safety team officer (frontline constable)
Company: New Zealand Police
How long worked here: I graduated the Royal New Zealand Police College about a year ago and have been a frontline officer ever since.

What does your job involve?
My job involves being the first response to 111 phone calls.

Why did you get into this profession?
I wanted to join the police because I wanted a job with variety. I also wanted a job where I felt I was able to help people and make a difference within my community.

What do you like about your job the most?
The variety. Everyday is different and you never know what you might respond to. Even when you are dispatched to a job and are told what the caller has said, more often than not, what you actually attend is different to what you are expecting.

What is the most challenging aspect of your role?
For me personally, the most challenging aspect of my role is when you do the best to try and help someone but they're not willing to help themselves. With that comes the challenge of trying to understand why people continue to do what they do or live a certain way.

What is your proudest work moment?
My proudest moment wouldn't have been 'at work', but when I graduated Police College and officially started working within my community as a constable.

What training have you had to prepare for your role?
In order to get to the stage of going to Police College, I had to pass my physical and academic testings. To do that I was doing physical training such as running every night and general gym training. I also trained for the academic testing by doing the practice academic tests on the New Cops website.

What is the best piece of career advice you've received?
To remember to separate work life and personal life. More often than not the jobs we attend are negative rather than positive. It's important to leave what happened at work and enjoy the time you get with your friends and family because that time can be scarce with having to do shift work.

What is the most important thing your current role has taught you?
Is to speak to and treat each person the same whether it is an offender, a victim or a witness. The way you deal with a person can completely change and impact what may happen during that job you are attending.

Describe your work wardrobe.
My work wardrobe includes my standard work pants, shirt, boots and my vest which holds my torch, notebook and pen, radio, gloves, taser, handcuffs, gloves, batten and O/C spray (pepper spray).

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