Overview
This page covers constable (sworn police officer) recruitment, which New Zealand Police runs through its Constabulary Recruitment Process on the New Cops site. Successful applicants are selected for a recruit wing at the Royal New Zealand Police College and train for 20 weeks before graduating as constables. Applying does not guarantee selection.
Who can apply
The official must-haves are:
You are at least 17 years old to apply and 18 when you start at Police College. There is no upper age limit.
You are a New Zealand or Australian citizen, or hold New Zealand residency or permanent residency.
You can speak, read, write and listen in English.
You are physically fit and have good eyesight.
You may apply with a restricted New Zealand driver licence, but you must hold a full licence before starting at Police College.
You must also declare any criminal or traffic convictions (including warnings, court appearances and diversions), give police clearance for any other country where you lived or worked for more than three months, and provide at least five years of medical history.
Exam pattern
The process has these steps in order:
Online recruit application.
Initial background check forms.
Online psychometric testing.
Initial phone conversation.
Initial medical check (an online health questionnaire).
Physical Appraisal Test (PAT).
SCOPE, a realistic job preview.
Formal interview with a selection specialist.
Background and final checks.
Entry to the candidate pool, then selection for a wing.
Online testing. You get a five-day window to complete an ability assessment and a personality profile; some applicants also sit a literacy assessment. The ability assessment is 30 minutes and 60 multiple-choice questions mixing verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. It is adaptive and proctored online. If you fail it, you must wait at least 6 months to resit, and a second failure ends the application.
Physical Appraisal Test. Four elements: a 2.4 km run, press-ups, vertical jump and grip strength. You score points on each and need at least 11 points in total to pass. Swimming is not tested in the PAT, but you declare your ability on a form and it is assessed at the college: 50 metres front crawl in 60 seconds, treading water for 5 minutes, and a duck dive to 2 metres to retrieve a rubber brick, with minimal rest between them.
How to apply
Apply online through the New Cops site by completing the Recruit Application. Some steps must be finished within set timeframes. The site said in 2026 that an Auckland recruit wing was starting on 8 February 2027.
After the exam
Selected recruits attend the Royal New Zealand Police College for 20 weeks and then graduate as constables. Throughout a police career, officers must pass a Physical Competency Test every two years, and the first is done during training.
Preparation tips
Start fitness training early, since you should be at or close to the PAT standard before you apply. The ability assessment measures underlying ability, and the site says extensive practice is not expected. Read its candidate preparation document and try the free practice tests.
Where do successful NZ Police recruits train?
At the Royal New Zealand Police College, for 20 weeks, before graduating as constables.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes, but not for the PAT. You declare your swimming ability on a form, and it is assessed at the college.