New police officers for Matamata and Waikato

(Left to right): The award-winners from Wing 371 at the graduation ceremony last week, Constables Ben Winstanley, James Cooney, Keegan Cassidy, Isiah Dayman and Harrison Taylor. Photo / New Zealand Police

This Christmas season, an extra gift came to the Waikato region in the form of three new front-line police officers.

New constable Keegan Cassidy, who will be based in Matamata, was welcomed to the New Zealand police force along with 61 other new constables at the graduation of Wing 371 earlier this month.

Cassidy joined the force after working with the New Zealand Army, and has already put his skills to good use, taking home the Firearms Award for the wing at the ceremony.

The Waikato district will welcome two more constables into its public safety teams, with all 62 front-line officers from the wing clocking in for their first shifts this Christmas.

Although not every constable begins their career during the height of the festive season, the new recruits will be stepping into a standard role, said Jillian Reid, police senior adviser of national proactive media.

“Everyone starts off as a constable on a public safety team when [they’re] first out of college.”

The graduation was held in front of Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, Police Minister Mark Mitchell, members of the police executive, family and friends, and New Zealand Police patron Dame Therese Walsh.

Dame Therese Walsh was this year's patron at the graduation of the police's Wing 371.

Walsh shared some words of inspiration in her speech to the new constables.

“I challenge each of you to embrace the things that make you different, embrace your diversity, embrace your difference, and be you.”

The graduation of Wing 371 will see Auckland get the highest number of new constables, with eight based in Auckland City, nine in Counties Manukau and two in Waitematā (on the North Shore).

Malisha Kumar is a multi-media journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.

Stay up to date with the Waikato Herald

Get the latest Waikato headlines straight to your inbox Monday to Saturday. Register for free today - click here and choose Local News.