Mō te tūranga

About the role

Specialisations

Safety Management & Emergency Response
Entry type

General entry
Under training

$68,103
Location

Varied

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

Accepting Applications

Recruit Regular Force 417, starts 07 Jul 2025 Apply by 24 Mar 2025
Apply Now

Requirements

Basics

Must be 18 years old by the time you graduate from recruit course.
Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.
NZ Class 1 Full Driver Licence with no traffic convictions.

Education

3 years secondary school.

^{Note, qualifications may be used to assess trade suitability.}

Fitness & Medical

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required SV security clearance for this trade.
Find out if you’re eligible here.

Period of Service

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.

We offer guidance on entry requirements in our eligibility section. Apply if you're uncertain, as we’ll work through the criteria with you to determine if you can proceed.

NZ Army - Military Police

“Last year on my way to work I attended a traffic accident. I was first on the scene and everything I learnt as a Military Policeman became second nature.”

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 soldier and police, so you conduct ongoing training in weapons, medical, and other combat skills is a requirement to keep you ready for deployments. You will also work closely with Air Force, Navy and New Zealand Police in a variety of locations within New Zealand.
Job on deployment

MP soldiers also deploy overseas as required. You will put your policing skills to use investigating insurgent actions, providing policing training to local police agencies, or protecting senior New Zealand military officers. You could also be policing coalition forces on multinational bases, or deploying at short notice to incidents involving New Zealand Defence Force troops.

Career progression and training

01Job Training

Job Training

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 program 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

02Ongoing Training

Ongoing Training

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, among other things, 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 offences like rape, murder 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 also have the opportunity to attend a variety of courses with New Zealand Police and other law enforcement agencies in NZ and overseas. There will also be opportunities to do various courses, training and exchanges with foreign country Military Police.

03Specialist Training

Specialist Training

You’ll also have the opportunity to attend a variety of courses with New Zealand Police and other law enforcement agencies, specialist computer/electronic forensic training, and various courses and exchanges with foreign country Military Police.

04Career Progression

Career Progression

As your career develops, you will develop your investigation, policing, and security skills and take up leadership roles in Police Stations and Police Regions in New Zealand, or commanding MP Teams on deployment. You will work closely with, and might undertake secondments to, NZ Police. You may also specialise in investigations, 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.

Benefits & 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:

Access to your Service marae or tūrangawaewae
Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels
Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases
Opportunities to travel
Free and subsidised medical and dental care
Subsidised food and accommodation on camps and bases
Free and subsidised insurance cover
Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Salary & benefits

Careers in the Army 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.

Under training

$68,103
Future potential earnings

$98,000

Am I fit enough?

If you want to be part of the NZ Defence Force you need to be medically and physically fit for military duties worldwide.

Medical & Fitness

The application process

Your step-by-step guide on what to expect at various stages of the application process, specifically for military roles.

Ready to start your Army career?

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