From military and fire service to a force to be reckoned with

Photo / APN

A former air force sergeant and several former volunteer firefighters are among 78 new police constables about to hit the beat.

The "Wing 286" group, which is graduating from the New Zealand Police College in Porirua today, includes people from many different backgrounds and ethnicities, the police said.

Constable Michael Skates, who had a 16-year-career with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, said it had always been his dream to become a police officer.

Mr Skates, who graduated first in his police college class, left the air force last year to pursue his dream.

"I'm looking forward to the next stage of my life with a career in police, and the ability to give back to my local community," he said.

"I have always had a dream of joining the New Zealand police."

During his time with the air force, Mr Skates was deployed to numerous locations including East Timor, Sinai and Afghanistan.

Other graduating constables include Christie Welton, Katherine Raines and Michael Nepia - all former volunteer firefighters.

The trio were looking forward to hitting the streets for their new jobs.

"For me it's about my whanau, my friends and my community," Mr Nepia said.

"It's about making sure they can continue to go about their lives and have the knowledge they will be looked after and feel safe."

Ms Welton, who became a volunteer firefighter when she was 18, said the skills she learnt with the Fire Service would be useful in her new role.

"Becoming a volunteer at 18 has helped me to grow as a person and to build the skills it takes to be a successful police officer.

"I know there will be some hard times throughout my career, but I also know I will always have my fellow wing members and colleagues who will have my back, just like my former colleagues in the Fire Service."

Ms Raines expected her new job would bring many new challenges.

"While I have worked in some pretty tough situations as a volunteer fire fighter already, I know a career in the New Zealand police is going to continuously challenge me," she said.

"But I'm looking forward to the challenge because I know that every day I go to work, I'm helping to change the lives of others by preventing crime, supporting victims, and ensuring the community feels safe and is safe."