Source: New Zealand Police
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, members of the police executive and wing patron Chiquita Holden will congratulate and acknowledge the 49 graduating constables tomorrow.
Media are invited to the graduation of the 396 Chiquita Holden Wing
What: Graduation of the New Zealand Police 396 Recruit Wing
Who: For families and friends to celebrate with the new graduates
Why: Completion and graduation from their initial training course
Where: The Royal New Zealand Police College, 24 Papakowhai Road Porirua
When: Thursday 25 June at 2.15pm – media will need to be in place by 2pm
How: RSVP if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz
The new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts the week beginning Monday 6 July 2026 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.
Wing 396 graduates
Nine of the graduates have family connections to New Zealand Police, following their mothers, fathers and other relatives onto the front line. Constable Mike Rubick’s father was a police officer and Constable Ethan Lawrence followed his great uncle into police.
The graduates also have a number of skills that they bring to the job. Constable Carys Hewetson was a former short distance track sprinter and Constable Matthew McCallum speaks German.
Over a quarter of the wing have a tertiary qualification and a number of the wing have taken part in voluntary service prior to joining.
Wing Patron
Chiquita Holden is a highly respected practitioner of victim advocacy and community response. She has more than 20 years of experience working alongside victims of crime and trauma, particularly in cases of homicide.
She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and brings extensive expertise across frontline support, crisis management, and senior leadership roles.
She is deeply passionate about victims’ rights, ethical and trauma-informed practice, and strengthening community-based responses.
Chiquita’s work has contributed to some of New Zealand’s most challenging and significant events, including the Canterbury earthquakes and Victim Support’s national response to Operation Deans (15 March 2019 Christchurch terror attacks). She offers a unique and deeply informed understanding of victimisation from both professional and personal perspectives.
In 1991, she received the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct following the 1990 Aramoana mass shooting, becoming one of the youngest recipients of this honour.
She was also selected to represent New Zealand in New York as part of a national delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, in recognition of her leadership and contributions to issues affecting vulnerable communities.
Alongside her professional roles, Chiquita has volunteered extensively with organisations including Presbyterian Support, St Kilda Rotary Club, and Challenge 2000, primarily in leadership roles supporting young women.
These roles reflect her long-standing commitment to community wellbeing.
ENDS
If you’re interested in joining police check out newcops.govt.nz
Issued by Police Media Centre
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/media-advisory-forty-nine-constables-to-graduate-at-the-royal-new-zealand-police-college/