Constable Wakefield dances to the beat

Career change: Ballerina turned constable Karin Wakefield graduates in Porirua today. Picture / Mark Mitchell

A ballerina and a cop.

Two very different jobs, but not in the eyes of Karin Wakefield, a former Royal New Zealand Ballet dancer and one of 56 new police officers graduating today.

The 43-year-old mother of two says discipline was one of the qualities that attracted her to the police force.

"I like that, which is probably why I did so well in dancing," she said.

Ms Wakefield - and now Constable Wakefield - danced with the Royal New Zealand Ballet from 1979 to 1996. She rose to principal dancer and later taught ballet in Britain and Asia.

Ms Wakefield had looked into joining the force when younger but, at 170cm, did not meet height requirements, which have since been abolished.

The only other obstacle was her husband's concern about her safety, eased by a visit from a Wanganui constable.

Of today's new graduates, 15 of whom are women, 20 will go to Auckland districts, 17 to Wellington, 17 to other North Island districts, and two to the South Island.