People on their restricted driver's licence will now be able to apply to become a police officer following changes to NZ Police's eligibility criteria.
The changes, announced today, will allow applicants to apply while on their restricted licence, Assistant Commissioner Jill Rogers said.
However, successful applicants will need to obtain a full licence before beginning their training.
It's expected to increase the potential pool of new recruits by thousands of people, with more than 250,000 people currently holding a restricted licence in New Zealand.
The changes also include a return to the 2017 eligibility criteria which allows people who hold a residency visa allowing them to work in New Zealand to apply.
It comes as figures released to 1News show in the last year, 322 New Zealand police officers applied to work in the state of Queensland alone.
Rogers said while NZ Police's standards "remain very high and that will not change", she acknowledged that "elements of our selection criteria were creating unnecessary barriers for people who would otherwise make exceptional candidates".
"These changes will allow many more people to apply to become a New Zealand Police officer."
Rogers said she is "confident these changes make that process more agile and fit-for-purpose".
"Police is already seeing an increase in applications compared to last year and is keen to continue to build on this progress," she said.
"Increasing the number of Police Officers in our communities is critical to our vision of New Zealand being the safest country.
"If you are looking for a job where you can be part of a great team of people, make a difference to your community and where no two days are the same, apply now."
SHARE ME