Locals across the Hibiscus Coast may soon see more officers on the beat, as the New Zealand Police prepare to increase the number of recruits in training.

Thanks to a surge in applications in 2024, the Police are set to expand their training wings at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) to accommodate the growing interest.

Assistant Commissioner Jill Rogers, who oversees Leadership, Talent, and Development, confirmed the changes.

“With 1371 applications in July alone, we saw the highest number of applications in a single month since our recruitment database began in 2014,” Rogers stated.

“This surge in interest, largely driven by visible recruitment campaigns and updated application criteria, has prompted us to raise our recruit wing size from 80 to 100 starting next April.”

Rogers emphasised that this decision is critical to keeping the flow of recruits moving through the system efficiently.

“We don’t want a blockage at the end of the pipeline for people waiting for a wing,” she explained.

“By increasing wing sizes, we’ll be able to support the government’s commitment to adding 500 more officers.”

From January to August 2024, over 5,500 applications were received—more than double the amount from the same period in 2023.

Rogers noted that Police attrition rates remain low, with just 4.8% turnover as of August, significantly below the public sector average of 20%.

Rogers also addressed concerns about officers leaving for opportunities abroad, particularly in Australia.

She revealed that between January 2023 and July 2024, only 115 constabulary staff resigned to move to Australia, representing a small fraction of the Police workforce.

Encouragingly, 73 former officers have either rejoined or applied to return to the force this year.

In light of the growing number of recruits, Police are also considering relocating some training courses to districts or offering them online, a model successfully used for investigation courses since 2020.

Looking ahead, the Police remain focused on bolstering frontline officer numbers to enhance community safety.

“This growth in recruits will require a massive effort from everyone involved,” Rogers said.

“We want to continue building on this positive momentum to benefit both the Police and the wider community.”

For those interested in joining, whether as new applicants or returning officers, more information can be found at newcops.govt.nz