NZ Police Exam cheat sheet

Minimum age to apply is 17; there is no upper age limit, and no maximum age cut-off applies at any stage.

Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or hold New Zealand permanent residence; a work visa or student visa alone does not qualify.

A full New Zealand driver's licence (or equivalent) is required, and the licence must be held at the time of application, not promised later.

Minimum NCEA Level 2 in numeracy and literacy (or equivalent) is the standard academic threshold; overseas qualifications are assessed for equivalence.

Character and background checks include criminal history, traffic offences, association checks, and reference verification; concealed or undisclosed matters weigh more heavily than disclosed ones.

Medical, eyesight, hearing, and physical fitness standards apply; colour vision and uncorrected/corrected vision thresholds are tested at assessment.

Citizenship by grant and permanent residence both qualify, but applicants must be able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance.

Tattoos are assessed on visibility and content; offensive, gang-related, or extremist imagery is disqualifying, and each case is individually reviewed.

Disqualifying factors include active criminal charges, undischarged bankruptcy affecting integrity checks, and unresolved family violence or protection orders.

Constabulary recruits are sworn officers with police powers from attestation; they complete initial training at the Royal New Zealand Police College at Porirua.

Recruit training (Wing) runs approximately 16 weeks residential at the College, followed by a period of supervised field training in a district.

Core patrol roles sit in Response/General Duties; constables work rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and public holidays.

Specialist pathways include CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch), Armed Offenders Squad, Organised Crime, Road Policing, Dog Section, and Search and Rescue.

Rank progression runs Constable → Sergeant → Senior Sergeant → Inspector → Superintendent → Commissioner, with promotion by assessment and interview.

Non-sworn (Police Employee) roles - analysts, communicators, file managers - work alongside constables without sworn powers.

Detective pathway requires selection to CIB and completion of the detective qualification; it is a designation, not a rank.

Career development includes temporary secondments, district transfers, and study support toward tertiary qualifications relevant to policing.

Sworn pay is set by the collective employment agreement between NZ Police and the Police Association; rates are published in the agreement's salary schedule.

Recruits are paid a training salary while at the College, then move onto the constabulary salary scale after attestation.

Salary progression is step-based: constables advance through defined steps tied to service and satisfactory performance.

Shift work attracts penal/allowance payments for nights, weekends, and public holidays, plus overtime or time in lieu where applicable.

Benefits include four weeks' annual leave (increasing with service in some agreements), superannuation contributions, and access to Police welfare and wellness services.

Allowances cover items such as uniform provision, relocation, and specialist duties; the specific rates sit in the collective agreement, not in general policy.

Part-time and flexible working arrangements exist in some roles and are negotiated at district level.

Pay and conditions are renegotiated at each collective agreement renewal, so figures should be checked against the current agreement date.

New Zealand Police's stated values are: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Commitment to Māori and the Treaty, and Empathy.

The values are used as a behavioural framework in recruitment: interview and assessment-centre scoring maps answers against them.

'Commitment to Māori and the Treaty' reflects Policing Act 2008 obligations and the Police's Māori responsiveness strategy.

Integrity means being honest and transparent, including disclosing adverse information during vetting rather than concealing it.

Empathy means understanding the impact of policing on victims, whānau, and communities, and acting with compassion.

Respect covers treating all people with dignity regardless of background, including colleagues and members of the public.

Professionalism means competence, accountability, and adherence to the Code of Conduct and lawful directions.

Values-based scenarios in assessment centres test how a candidate balances competing values, not whether they can recite the list.

Standard sequence: online application → initial screening → fitness and literacy/numeracy testing → assessment centre → interview → medical, eyesight, and reference checks → offer → Wing intake.

The Physical Fitness Assessment includes a shuttle run, press-ups, and a grip test, with standards differing by age band and gender.

Literacy and numeracy testing is completed online or at an assessment centre and must be passed before progressing.

The assessment centre uses group exercises and role-plays scored against the Police values and competencies.

Vetting includes criminal record checks, reference checks, and interviews with people who know the applicant; overseas residence extends timelines.

Medical assessment covers general health, hearing, vision, BMI/body composition guidance, and psychological readiness.

Successful candidates are placed in a recruit wing pool; wait times between offer and Wing start vary with intake scheduling.

A failed stage can usually be re-attempted after a stand-down period, but the number of attempts is limited and specified by the recruiter.