# MEDIA ADVISORY: Sixty-nine constables to graduate this week

Date: 6 Oct 2026
Released by: New Zealand Police

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Sixty-nine New Zealand Police recruits from Recruit Wing 400, whose patron is Joe Harawira, will graduate at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua on Thursday 8 October at 2pm. Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello will attend. The new constables begin duty in their districts from the week of 19 October 2026 as probationary constables.

## Original release

Media are invited to the Recruit Wing 400 (Joe Harawira KSO) graduation. What: Graduation of the New Zealand Police Recruit Wing 400. Who: For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested police officers. Why: Completion and graduation from their initial training course. Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua. When: Thursday 8 October at 2pm - media will need to be in place by 1.45pm. How: RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello will attend the ceremony. The 69 new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts the week beginning Monday 19 October 2026 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables. Wing patron For more than 45 years, Joe Harawira (Ngāti Awa, Ngai Te Rangi, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tūhourangi) has advanced te ao Māori through education, performing arts, conservation and public service. His long association with Police began in the early 1990s as a cultural advisor. He supported Police in a range of projects from translating the ‘DARE to make a Choice’ drugs education resource (Tēna Kōwhiria) into te reo Māori for implementation into total immersion Māori education, through to Treaty of Waitangi training sessions with Waikato District police staff. Joe is currently working with the Department of Conservation, is the Kaumātua to the Governor-General of Aotearoa-New Zealand and provides advice and support to a number of government agencies. In 2026 Joe received a Companion of the King’s Service Order in the New Year Honours for services to Māori education, arts and conservation.

## Key details

- Issued by: New Zealand Police
- Published: 6 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: New Zealand
- Original source: https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/media-advisory-sixty-nine-constables-graduate-week
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01290-media-advisory-sixty-nine-constables-to-graduate-this-w-06102026.html

Original source: https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/media-advisory-sixty-nine-constables-graduate-week
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01290-media-advisory-sixty-nine-constables-to-graduate-this-w-06102026.html