Street art hopes to capture new recruits

Otis Frizzell's work aims to attract people to the force. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Police have commissioned a street artist in a bid to attract young people to join the force.

A work by street artist Otis Frizzell was yesterday unveiled in central Auckland showing two female officers, constables Madeline Roberts and Julia Vahry, chasing an offender on foot - a situation both officers have been in before.

Assistant police commissioner Allan Boreham said telling officers' extraordinary stories through street art allowed police to challenge young people to think about becoming an officer in a new way.

"The best young people have many career paths open to them. Those who are motivated to help their communities often pursue positions in education and health. Many young people, women particularly, who would make excellent officers, sometimes overlook the police as a career choice and we've set out to change that."

Otis Frizzell is a son of well-known New Zealand artist Dick Frizzell.

- NZPA