Police holding recruitment drive at Taniwha match in Whangārei

Constable Helen Capp, Constable Telea Kask, Constable Sean Herbert, Constable Warren Dunn, and Constable Lauren Kahotea, front, film a preview video for the police display. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Northland police are hoping to kick start an influx of new police recruits into training at the Taniwha's last regular season home game.

The police will showcase themselves as part of a recruitment drive before the Mitre 10 Cup match between Northland and Waikato at Northland Events Centre on Saturday.

Northland police recruiting officer, Senior Constable Doug Te Puni, said tents will be set up around the ground to show the variety of work police do.

"We'll have the dogs there, we're bringing up the rainbow car, we'll have the Pirihimana car."

He said the Armed Offenders squad, search and rescue, the police negotiation team, detectives, youth services, victim support and the meth harm team will all be there to talk about what they do.

"We've got all our specialist squads, showing our diversity in Police and how attractive it is to join."

Te Puni encouraged the public to "come and see what police is about" and get interested in joining the force.

"We're looking for as many people as we can."

Northland is in line to get 87 new police officers on the beat by 2023.

Constable Warren Dunn is a former Northland player who will play in the curtainraiser. Photo/Michael Cunningham

The afternoon will start with a curtain raiser match between Northland police and Northpower rugby team at 12.15pm. The game will be a full, 15 a side, 80-minute match.

The police side will be gunning for glory off the back of a 35-25 win over Waikato police last Friday.

The Northland police team who take the field on Saturday will feature two former Northland Taniwha, Warren Dunn and Owen Pihema and will be coached by Te Puni and managed by Pete Thomas - two former Northland representatives themselves.

Te Puni said the police and Northpower previously played each other annually up until four or five years ago, so this match was a rekindling of the rivalry. The police won the last time the two sides met.

Following that match there will be relay races between police staff and Northland reserve players which will include a slalom race and carrying a person on a stretcher.

Just before the main game kicks off at 2.35pm, there will be an "all-action" police scenario involving the police helicopter and police dogs.