9 minute read
POLICE OFFICER
ZION LEAUPEPE
VARIED, EXCITING CAREERS ON OFFER
NEW POLICE OFFICERS NEEDED
writer PETER WHITE // photographer LOGAN WEST
Working with her people in her own community is what ZION LEAUPEPE loves most about being a Police Officer. The 26-year-old has been based in Manurewa, Counties Manukau since she graduated from Police College in 2017. “I am right in the thick of it. I work on the frontline, so we attend 111 emergency calls. Basically, we attend anything and everything in Manurewa,” says Zion. “I love working in the community I lived in when I was going to high school. It is good to be trying to make a real difference here amongst my people.” At the start of her career, Zion starred in some recruitment videos for New Zealand Police – she loved doing these and hopes they played a role in giving inspiration to her community. Zion originally wanted to join the New Zealand Army after she left Auckland Girls’ Grammar at the end of Year 11 but was too young to apply. To upskill, she signed-up for Skills Update training courses at their Kelston campus, which she says was a huge help in getting her focused on a future career. “They did pre-Army course training where you learnt things like fitness tests and some theory as well. It was fun but also really important for me. “There were people who came in to speak at those courses, like Army officers but also from the Navy and Air Force. It opened my mind up that there were other careers like the Police and not just the Army.” Zion says there is a need for new Police Officers, and she encourages young Māori and Pasifika school leavers in particular to apply to join. “If you really care about your people then you would really want to be here and would really want to make a difference. I think that is what best suits someone to be a Police Officer.” And the career paths available once you get established in the Police are so varied. Zion says there are more than 100 options available, ranging from working with dogs, investigation work as a detective, special forces that only deal with firearms incidents or road policing. Her straight-forward advice to school leavers considering joining the Police is to stay fit and not to get in trouble. To relax away from work, Zion loves nothing more than putting on her rugby boots and scoring tries. She has not been playing the game very long but has quickly become a star player with Manurewa and also Counties Heat in the national Farah Palmer Cup competition. “You have to have some stress relief and sport is probably the best way to do that. Funnily enough, I wasn’t really that passionate about rugby but just went along and then fell in love with it. “You grow strong bonds with your team and your coach and they become like another family. That’s why I love rugby.”
KEY FACTS
■ ZION LEAUPEPE HAS BEEN A FRONTLINE POLICE OFFICER IN MANUREWA,
COUNTIES MANUKAU SINCE 2017. ■ SHE SIGNED-UP FOR SKILLS UPDATE TRAINING COURSES AT THEIR
KELSTON CAMPUS AFTER LEAVING AUCKLAND GIRLS’ GRAMMAR. ■ ZION RECOMMENDS STAYING FIT AND OUT OF TROUBLE FOR THOSE
CONSIDERING JOINING THE POLICE. For more information on courses offered by Skills Update, visit www.skillsupdate.co.nz For more information on joining the New Zealand Police, visit www.newcops.govt.nz
writer DIANA CLEMENT // photo credit iSTOCK MANAGEYOUR MONEY
A SIMPLE BUDGETIS THE KEY
Making your money last is hard as a student. If you budget, you’ll find managing your money easier, you’ll avoid crises and come out with a lower student loan. A simple budget tracks your income and spending.
GET STARTED
Work out how much money you’ll have over the year by adding your student loan/allowance, any scholarships, money from your parents, income from a part-time job and any savings you plan to spend. From that, deduct annual costs such as insurance and any books or equipment for your course. Then divide the remainder by 52 weeks (or 38 weeks if you’re only budgeting for the uni year). You then know how much money you have each week. Now add up your estimated weekly spending including accommodation, transport, food, phone/broadband, toiletries, and socialising. StudyLink’s estimate of what it costs students to live at different New Zealand universities can help, visit
www.Tinyurl.com/NZstudent GOOD RULES OF THUMB
Try to keep your budget simple – that way you’ll use it. You might want to use a percentage-based budget, such as 70 per cent for essential living costs (such as halls/flatting and transport), 20 per cent for non-essential spending, such as clothes, takeaways and going
THE IDEAL STUDENT BUDGET
First year commerce/arts student James works parttime at McDonalds and lives at home for now. He puts 20 per cent of his weekly pay into a spending account for fuel, clothes, takeaways and going out, 50 per cent into long-term savings, which will go towards flatting next year, 10 per cent into KiwiSaver, and 20 per cent into short-term savings for one-off costs such as car repairs and insurance costs. If he overspends one week, he ensures he spends less the next week and pays the other account back. out, and 10 per cent savings for annual bills or unexpected costs. It doesn’t need to be 70/20/10. It could be 60/30/10 or whatever split fits your circumstances best.
DIVVY UP YOUR WEEKLY BUDGET
At the beginning of each week divvy your weekly money into separate accounts for living, spending and short-term saving for upcoming costs. If you receive lump sums of student allowance and/or loan, make sure that money is kept separate, and a weekly amount is drip fed into the relevant accounts so that you don’t lose track.
TRACK IT
Check your bank account regularly to see how you’re tracking with each week’s spending. Can you delay an expense until next week? Some banks such as Westpac and ASB have built in spending trackers. Try free budget apps, such as MyBudgetPal and Spendee, or Sorted.org.nz’s budget planner.
ANALYSE YOUR SPENDING
One of the great things about having a budget is getting to know your financial self. It’s natural to mistake items you want for things you need When you analyse your spending regularly, it’s much easier to see where you can make savings. For example, you might find yourself thinking, ‘how could I spend $10 less on a night out?’ Finally look for ways to make your budget work, rather than excuses not to do it. It will pay off.
For more information and helpful tips on budgeting, visit www.sorted.org.nz/
tool/budgeting-tool#/ welcome
writer PETER WHITE // photographer MARTY MELVILLE HELPTHE POLICE RUNSMOOTHLY
THINKING CRITICALLY ANDTAKING PRIDE
“This is certainly a chapter of my life I will look back on. I will be forever grateful to the Police for being so flexible and understanding with my study.” GEORGIA-FAYE BASHAM loves her role as a contracting Police employee at Wellington Central Police Station. The 22-year-old works part-time while also in her first year of a law degree at Victoria University of Wellington. Georgia is one of a team that processes and codes the reports that come through the Police website/105 online. She helps enter the data from the original report into a database where the Police can access this information and appropriately investigate and respond. “In some instances, we are required to contact the informant directly to clarify any details of the original report,” says Georgia. “If people want to file a non-urgent occurrence or it has happened after the fact, people are encouraged to contact 105, which relieves some of the traffic from the 111 communications centre. “I read the report and code it depending on the nature of the offence/occurrence. I would then write a narrative, add all relevant vehicles, organisations and people – everything the officer will need to conduct any further investigation.” Georgia started off in the Police doing file stripping, which involves removing all report data already in the database that does not need to be kept in hardcopy or storage. “It is a really interesting role to be a part of, going through cases and in general just seeing the other side of Police work. “There are people doing contracting Police work for 105 in Wellington, Dunedin and Kapiti. The Police Officers really do appreciate the support of all Police employees who prepare these detailed reports.”
GEORGIA-FAYE BASHAM
Georgia went to Wellington Girls’ College where she took Te Reo Māori, History, Biology, English and Psychology in Year 13. She studied midwifery for two years, then began studying law and working at a supermarket before landing the role at Police about a year ago. “The contrast between studying and working in retail compared to the Police is huge. I am much more engaged with the work at Police. “You have to think critically and you hold a lot of responsibility in your role. These days, I take a lot more pride in my work.” Georgia encourages school leavers to consider a role like hers. “Be excited about this time ahead because it is an amazing chapter in your life. It is all about finding you and your path. “You will make amazing accomplishments and amazing mistakes. I wish you luck on this journey. The Police are very supportive of that journey, whether you end up having a lifetime career in the organisation or establish your own career. “If you are looking to join the Police, it is a profession of great integrity and values. It’s a very rewarding job and you make lifelong friends.”
KEY FACTS
■ GEORGIA-FAYE BASHAM HAS WORKED AS A CONTRACTING EMPLOYEE
FOR THE NEW ZEALAND POLICE FOR OVER A YEAR. ■ SHE WORKS ON A TEAM THAT PROCESSES AND CODES THE REPORTS THAT
COME THROUGH THE POLICE WEBSITE/105. ■ GEORGIA RECOMMENDS JOINING THE POLICE SAYING THEY ARE A
SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYER AND THAT THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS ONE
WHERE SHE HAS MADE LIFELONG FRIENDS. For more information on career opportunities with New Zealand Police, visit
www.police.govt.nz/careers
