General Duties Policing - The Beat Cop
If you call the Police, it's most likely beat and/ or patrol staff who will be the first to respond.
Whether it's walking the beat in busy downtown streets, patrolling the suburbs or answering calls for help in smaller towns or larger cities - the beat and patrol staff are the visible face of policing in New Zealand.
Beat and patrol staff have the most diverse role in New Zealand Police. The role is divided between proactive policing, where officers patrol or take other measures to detect and prevent crime, and responding to calls for service.
In any given shift, section constables might help prevent street disorder, deal with a lost child, investigate reports of a stolen motor vehicle, and attend a family violence incident or a serious road crash.
They can also be called on to police major sporting or other public events, and respond to a myriad of other incidents and calls for help.
Preparing arrest files for any of the thousands of offences that are in the New Zealand statute books is also part of their role.
Skills required: Officers must have sound judgement and good people skills, as they are often involved in difficult, confrontational or dangerous situations.
New Zealand Police employs nearly 3,500 beat and patrol staff in addition to 3500 other officers. They are rostered to provide a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week service.
Below are pictures of differing styles of patches currently worn, or have been worn in the last few years, also pictured are differing rocker style patches worn by NZ Police officers up until the early 1970's.
If you call the Police, it's most likely beat and/ or patrol staff who will be the first to respond.
Whether it's walking the beat in busy downtown streets, patrolling the suburbs or answering calls for help in smaller towns or larger cities - the beat and patrol staff are the visible face of policing in New Zealand.
Beat and patrol staff have the most diverse role in New Zealand Police. The role is divided between proactive policing, where officers patrol or take other measures to detect and prevent crime, and responding to calls for service.
In any given shift, section constables might help prevent street disorder, deal with a lost child, investigate reports of a stolen motor vehicle, and attend a family violence incident or a serious road crash.
They can also be called on to police major sporting or other public events, and respond to a myriad of other incidents and calls for help.
Preparing arrest files for any of the thousands of offences that are in the New Zealand statute books is also part of their role.
Skills required: Officers must have sound judgement and good people skills, as they are often involved in difficult, confrontational or dangerous situations.
New Zealand Police employs nearly 3,500 beat and patrol staff in addition to 3500 other officers. They are rostered to provide a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week service.
Below are pictures of differing styles of patches currently worn, or have been worn in the last few years, also pictured are differing rocker style patches worn by NZ Police officers up until the early 1970's.
