A police officer who stole a police-issued firearm starred in a police recruitment series, and was awarded the Commissioner's Award for leadership in his recruit wing, it can now be revealed.
By Sam Sherwood of RNZ
RNZ earlier revealed a police officer had been charged with stealing a police-issued firearm and being in unlawful possession of a police-issued firearm.
On Tuesday, the officer Steven John Karehana pleaded guilty to the charges. Following his guilty plea an interim suppression order was lifted. Karehana will be sentenced in December.
The 42-year-old starred in the police recruitment video series, Ride Along.
His parts in the series appear to have since been removed from YouTube, and his name has been removed from a press release about the series.
In one episode seen by RNZ, Karehana spoke of his journey to joining the police.
"I guess for me it was a long journey. Took me around about 20 years from my first application to being accepted into police college, and I've been out for about four months now.
"So I first applied in 2003, and I was denied because of what had happened in my youth, and I applied probably every five years after that until I got a job as a painter, and I stayed in that job for 16 years.
"It wasn't until I went and worked for my iwi, and through that journey, it reignited the love and passion for my community and my people."
He said being an older recruit he brought "different life skills, life experiences to the police".
"My why for joining is to be a role model for our people.
"By showing them rather than just talking about it, it can go a long way into helping build those relationships once again."
Karehana's name has also been removed by police from a press release put out in October 2024 celebrating Wing 378.
The original version, seen by RNZ, said he was awarded the Commissioner's Leadership Award.
"This is the beginning of our journey in the New Zealand Police, but for all of us graduating, there are many people who have sacrificed and worked hard to allow us to be here, and we are very grateful. We could not have done it without you.
"The call to service is one few answer, but it is a selfless sacrifice to put community above self and by graduating today we have all joined a proud and selfless organisation."
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