“We are thrilled we have signed an agreement with Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University for space at their Ōtehā Auckland campus,” Rogers said.
“As part of the agreement, police [have] exclusive use of part of the campus, which includes multiple classrooms with capacity to seat up to 155 people, a locker room, storage space, offices and car parks. We will also have access to gym and recreation areas, and we have a small number of dorm rooms allocated for police staff.”
The training space would be “pivotal” for running senior courses and would free up space at the Porirua college.
The first training of recruits would begin on June 30 and the curriculum would be the same as at the RNZPC.
“Some elements of recruit training which cannot be completed at the campus, including tactical training and swim assessment, will be completed offsite,” Rogers said.
“We know that being away from home for several months has been a deterrent for people wanting to join police. The recruit training being based in Auckland will open the doors for a dream job that might not have been possible otherwise.”
The Herald reported last month that hundreds of new police officers had graduated despite not completing the swimming component of the course.
The 149 recruits had been unable to do the swim assessment because of a cryptosporidium outbreak linked to public pools around Wellington.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell has since insisted that the constables be required to return to training to complete the swimming requirement.
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