“I want to thank my old serjeant, his name is Sergeant [Colin] Wright, and Inspector [Neil] Forlong as well - they both played a huge part in getting me to college and helping me start my career in blue,” he said.
“The support from my colleagues and family has been awesome, helping me get to college. I can’t thank them enough for that.”
He decided when he was young that he wanted to join the police after a friend’s mum, who was a detective, picked them up and showed Dobbin the police car and vest.
“A lot has changed since then but the ‘why’ hasn’t,” he said.
“The dream, ultimately, is to be a dog handler but, for now, I’m pretty keen to get stuck into the frontline and help people in that way.”
Spence, 21, was born and raised in Whanganui as the youngest of four siblings.
“I love playing and watching football. I also have a wonderful girlfriend of four and a half years and I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of her and my family,” he said.
Spence also knew from a young age that he wanted to be a police officer.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the police and I attribute that to my constant want to help people in need - a trait that I would say I got from my mother,” he said.
Spence is focusing on getting started in his new role and has no set plans for where he wants his career to go.
“Although there are many career options in the police, I am currently undecided on where to go down the track,” he said.
“I just want to have a positive impact on the lives in our community while I figure out where my future steps take me.”
Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
