Characterised by variety and independence, the RNZAF Police role could see you: preventing crime on Air Bases or Defence Areas within New Zealand, being part of an investigations team offshore, acting as a bodyguard to senior military officers overseas, training foreign police forces, and more.

  • Service
    Air Force
  • Specialisation
    Specialist
  • Location
    Varied
  • Starting Trade Training
    $70,300
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About the role

As Air Force Military Police (RNZAF MP), your job is to protect the Defence Force’s people and resources from crime and keep them safe whether in New Zealand or overseas. You will work alongside colleagues in the Naval Police and NZ Army’s Military Police as a highly trained specialist, providing police expertise to the Defence Force community and in a variety of deployed environments.

You will need to be highly motivated and trustworthy, as you will often be the one in control at incidents. Your attention to detail and ability to adapt under pressure will be required whether you’re investigating crimes or providing close protection in high-risk situations. High standards of behaviour are expected of an MP at all times. 

Job on base

You will spend your days policing the defence community. This could see you preventing crime, responding to incidents, or conducting investigations. As an MP, you are an airman and police, so you will receive ongoing training in weapons, medical, and other combat skills to keep you ready for deployments. You may also work closely with New Zealand Police in a variety of locations throughout Aotearoa.

Job on deployment

MP deploy overseas as required. You will put your policing skills to use, investigating incidents involving Royal New Zealand Air Force and NZDF personnel, providing policing training to local police agencies, or protecting senior military officers. You could also be policing coalition forces on multi-national bases, or deploying at short notice to conduct investigations.  

Career progression and training

CAREER PROGRESSION

JOB TRAINING

ONGOING TRAINING

As your career develops, you will develop your investigation, policing, and security skills and take up leadership roles in Military Police Stations and regions throughout New Zealand, or commanding MP Teams on deployment. You will work closely with, and might undertake secondments to, New Zealand Police. You may also specialise in Investigations, where you'll be responsible for investigating the most serious incidents MP deal with; or in Close Protection, acting as a bodyguard or part of a security team for senior military and government personnel. 

NZDF MILITARY POLICE BASIC COURSE

For fourteen weeks at the Military Police Training Centre in Trentham, you will learn about the laws and regulations that you’ll enforce, how to respond to and control incidents, and how to deal with basic criminal offences. This course covers when and how to use force (unarmed, batons, OC spray, firearms), advanced driving techniques, the conduct of police patrols, how to interview people, and first aid skills.

Then you’ll be posted to an MP unit to put those new skills straight to use on the job. An extensive coaching and mentoring programme will see you get off on the right foot, and support you through a probationary period to ensure that the MP role is the right one for you.

Your next courses will teach you investigative skills like how to examine a crime scene and collect evidence, how to interview people to get valuable information from them, and how to analyse law and regulations. You’ll leave capable of conducting investigations into military and civilian offences including traffic accidents, assaults, or drug offences.

You will also develop your military skills, like how to operate within an MP Team, including unarmed control and restraint, use of various weapons and equipment, advanced driving, and how to provide military-level security to people and places.

Later courses will teach you how to plan and lead a security task; how to investigate serious criminal offences and war crimes; and how to plan police operations like raids or law enforcement patrolling. If you specialise in investigations or close protection, you will receive intensive training in those areas.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a variety of courses with New Zealand Police and other law enforcement agencies in Aotearoa, as well as undertake various courses, training and exchanges with foreign country Military Police.

OPPORTUNITY AND PURPOSE GENERATING A NEW AND EXCITING CAREER IN THE RNZAF

From forensics lab to Military Police

Hawke’s Bay’s Jess Kite was looking for opportunity and purpose when she joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and she found it in the Military Police, whose job it is to protect the Defence Force’s people and resources from crime and keep sailors, soldiers and aviators safe in New Zealand and overseas.

RNZAF Military Police Aviators Story

Salary and benefits

Careers in the Air Force are well-rewarded, diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, your salary will rise accordingly.

$50,597

Under Initial Training

$70,300

Starting Trade Training

$156,784

Future Potential Earnings

Figures updated on July 1st 2023

Benefits and allowances

Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.

In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:

Free and subsidised medical and dental care

Access to subsidised equipment on camp and bases

Subsidised food on camps and bases

Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels

Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases

Subsidised accomodation on camps and bases

Free and subsidised insurance cover

Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Opportunities to travel

Competitive superannuation

Entry requirements

BASICS

EDUCATION

FITNESS & MEDICAL

CITIZENSHIP

PERIOD OF SERVICE

  • Meet the citizenship and security requirements to gain SV security clearance.
  • Full Class 1 driver’s licence
  • No history of any serious criminal, military or traffic offences.

3 years secondary school. Note, qualifications may be used to assess trade suitability.

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required SV security clearance for this trade.

There may be a return of service period for this trade.

Please contact our 0800 number or talk to your Candidate Experience Facilitator for more information.

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