From left: Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas, Sir John Key, Acting Deputy Commissioner - Northern Districts Jill Rogers, following the pōwhiri to welcome new recruits.
On Friday 27 June, Massey University hosted an event to bless the former Watson Labs on level 2 of Student Central before officially handing over the space to New Zealand Police.
Earlier this year, the university announced it had signed an agreement with Police to lease space on the Ōtehā Auckland campus for their education purposes, from Monday 30 June. Police are also leasing a floor in the Weka Hall in Te Ōhanga Village – Massey’s on-site accommodation.
On Friday morning, Deputy Vice-Chancellor University Services Shelley Turner and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori Paora Ammunson, alongside tangata whenua representatives from Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and a small number of other staff including members of the Senior Leadership Team, participated in a whakatau (welcome) to the Police, and a whakawātea (blessing of the space). Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua kaumātua Reverend Otene Reweti led the welcome on behalf of Massey.
Speaking at the event, Ms Turner said Massey is proud to play a small role in enabling Police to increase training capacity into the greater Auckland region.
“The feedback from our community regarding the Police sharing our space has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are excited to have trainees studying and living alongside our students and staff.
“This partnership builds on our existing relationship with New Zealand Police which has evolved through the Centre for Defence and Security Studies within our College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Shifting from an academic partnership to a physical collaboration paves the way for enhanced cooperation, which is really exciting for us both.”
Image gallery - Blessing, 27 June 2025
Acting Deputy Commissioner - Northern Districts Jill Rogers thanked Massey staff for bringing the partnership together.
“I want to acknowledge the team at Massey for walking alongside us, the patience you’ve shown us in allowing us to work with you as we have overcome uncertainty, and I think we’re in a very special place. And when our new recruits arrive next week, that they too can find they are at home, and know that they belong.”
Earlier today, New Zealand Police officially welcomed its new recruits on to campus with a pōwhiri, attended by Police Minister Hon. Mark Mitchell, Associate Police Minister Hon. Casey Costello, Commissioner of Police Richard Chambers, and Acting Deputy Commissioner - Northern Districts Jill Rogers, as well as other senior members of New Zealand Police, and former Prime Minister and Recruit Wing Patron Sir John Key. Representatives from Massey University included Professor Jan Thomas, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students and Global Engagement Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly, and Massey Business School Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Jonathan Elms.
Commissioner Richard Chambers: “Being away from home for 20 weeks to attend recruit training in Wellington has been a deterrent for some people wanting to join Police. Offering training in Auckland is one of the things we can do to attract as many quality applications as possible.
“We will consider the possibility of future recruit wings later in the year depending on demand and the schedule for senior courses,” Commissioner Chambers said.