It might have taken 16 years, but Constable Franscis Wirihana Roberts has achieved his dream of serving his community as a police officer.
Franscis was working as a security guard in the Far North in 2002 when he was inspired to join Police through his contact with local officers.
¡°I got an insight to Police, working with the local police officers around Kawakawa, Paihia, Kaikohe, and really loved it. So I rang the 0800 number.¡±
Disaster struck when he developed shin splints in training and got stood down. ¡°That was pretty emotional - I really wanted to get through.¡±
For ten years he worked in a contracting firm, then moved from Paihia to Kaitaia, where he started his own building business.
¡°I met an old friend who¡¯s a police officer in the Kaitaia area, who said to me ¡®Have you ever thought about giving it another go?¡¯
"I had but had never really done anything about it - but he opened up that door and gave me that opportunity.
¡°I went online ¨C it had all changed ¨C and signed up and went through the process from there.¡±
His 2002 injury had prevented him completing his PAT ¨C the pre-entry Physical Appraisal Test. Now he faced the PAT again ¨C particularly the required 2.4km run - without much confidence.
¡°I was 118kgs,¡± he says. ¡°I met Sarah who¡¯s in the recruiting team in Te Tai Tokerau. I said ¡®I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to go with the running ¨C I haven¡¯t run for six or seven years¡¯.
¡°She said ¡®Just measure out the 2.4kms, run as far as you can then text me to tell me how far you ran¡¯.
¡°So I got to 600m and texted her: ¡®I¡¯m done.¡¯ I had nothing left - my legs were sore, my lungs felt like they were going to burst, but she encouraged me: ¡®Keep going, and let me know when you can run the whole distance¡¯.
¡°It took me about three weeks to get to that and Sarah said ¡®Now we¡¯re going to work on your speed¡¯.¡±
Franscis trained for around five-and-a-half months to get fit enough, overcoming barriers both mental and physical. He says he received amazing support which kept him focused on his motivation for joining Police ¨C his wh¨¡nau.
¡°Being M¨¡ori, I see a lot of our wh¨¡nau who struggle with the basic needs of life.
"We¡¯re all brought up with values from our parents, grandparents and wh¨¡²Ô²¹³Ü&²Ô²ú²õ±è;at some point in our lives ¨C tika, pono, aroha ¨C but, with the struggles of life, some people have gone a different path.¡±
The 16 weeks at the Royal 51½ÖÉä College left Franscis grateful to the college staff - those that prepared the food as well as those who ensured he remembered his lessons. ¡°You can¡¯t thank the staff enough for the mahi they do.¡±
Graduation day was an emotional rollercoaster. Among the wh¨¡nau members supporting him, his late parents and grandparents were present in photographs brought by an aunty. ¡°What an awesome feeling that was.¡±
Franscis was welcomed back to the Far North ¨C along with his Wing 316 colleague Constable Joelle Nattrass ¨C with a p¨whiri at Tumoana, te Kura Kaupapa o M¨¡ori Pukemiro in Kaitaia. They are now both based at Kaitaia.
For Franscis, it has been worth the wait. ¡°I love it. I don¡¯t want to take days off ¨C I just want to keep going.¡±
The Sarah who helped Franscis ¨C Sergeant Sarah Wihongi, of Kaitaia ¨C says his story will be an inspiration to many others.
¡°Franscis is a humble man but he has battled hard to win his place in blue,¡± she says. ¡°For 16 years he kept alive his dream of helping his community and now he¡¯s out there, doing it every day.
¡°He¡¯s a great example ¨C with hard work and the right support you can overcome any barriers which stand in your way.¡±