Real NZ Police Star in Cliche-Busting Recruitment Campaign

New Zealand Police has launched a new nationwide recruitment campaign, highlighting everyday Kiwi attributes as police-worthy skills, and asking, ‘Do you fit the description we’re looking for?’

The campaign film follows current serving officers as they travel across Aotearoa, recruiting with a simple brief: spot everyday Kiwis showing off the skills the police need.

Directed by Vince McMillan, and written by Chris Appelros and James Henderson, the film blends observational humour with standard police terminology to highlight attributes like patience, leadership, fitness, empathy, teamwork, and problem-solving in a unique and memorable way. Vince told LBB the campaign had to avoid the usual policing stereotypes.

“We’ve all seen cops depicted through film and television, and there are a lot of cliches,” he said.

“While we were leaning into cop movie tropes, we had to pick and choose whether eating a doughnut or bum-sliding across a car bonnet was the right call. I think we found a good balance between leaning into the conventions playfully while protecting the integrity of the police.”

More than 50 current and retired officers appear in the campaign, representing more than 10 career pathways, including the Police National Dive Squad, dog handlers, the Air Support Unit, Search and Rescue, and the Armed Offenders Squad.

“The more rewarding moments [of the shoot] were the personalities, the interactions with real police,” Vince said.

“Typically, when you interact with police, the uniform can be intimidating, but after filming for so many days, you realise they’re human beings underneath the outfits -- so when I’m directing the AOS team who are holding rifles staring at you through balaclavas, I didn’t once feel uncomfortable.”

EightyOne ECD Chris Bleackley said the campaign challenges common perceptions about policing.

“The mother of two, who expertly handled the demands of her young children in the supermarket, perfectly embodied the creative idea,” Chris told LBB.

“At first glance, you may not see her as a classic police recruit. In fact, while concepting this campaign, we learnt that people don’t think they can juggle being a parent and a cop. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The qualities and skills you gain from being a parent, like having infinite patience, are invaluable skills in policing.”

Copywriter Chris Appelros added, “We wanted to use the film’s tone to show the officers as ordinary New Zealanders.

“Sure, they wear a uniform and have a serious job. But they’re also parents, neighbours, and friends. They like to laugh and have a chat. Police officers get an unfair reputation for being intimidating rule enforcers. But that shouldn’t define them as people. And they don’t just connect with the community when something negative has happened. Believe it or not, their job can even be fun.”

Art director James Henderson agreed, noting the campaign leaned heavily on the police being funny and relatable.

“We’ve all seen cop shows and movies on TV,” James said.

“Whether it’s in New Zealand, Australia, England, or America, the language they use is a unique but known vernacular. By taking that and adding some unmistakably Kiwi locations and dialogue, we were able to turn what’s a bit of a cliché into a series of relatable, humorous moments.”

Creating a national recruitment campaign meant travelling the country to meet the officers in their own backyards -- from big cities to rural towns.

A Northland Search and Rescue scene features a husband and wife, both working police officers, while a police negotiator scene features Constable Alistair, who works in a Tactical Crime Unit.

“This campaign isn’t just recruiting more officers, it’s reframing what the job actually calls for,” Chris said.

“Human qualities, not stereotypes. In fact, many Kiwis might not realise they already have the exact qualities New Zealand Police are currently looking for.”

Police commissioner Richard Chambers believes the campaign showcases “what an attractive and varied career the force can offer.

“To serve our communities, we need new staff from all backgrounds and with different skills and characteristics. Policing is an exciting and dynamic career suited to many types of New Zealanders, and obviously the best people to tell you this are the staff who are doing it daily.”

Vince said showcasing the police as human as possible meant being truthful and honest.

“By casting real police officers rather than actors, we were able to lean into each officer’s natural personality and presence,” he said.

“That authenticity made them instantly more relatable. The performances were played straight. The humour comes from the situations themselves. What you’d normally expect to see in a high-stakes standoff or arrest is reimagined as something completely ordinary. It’s that contrast between expectation and reality that creates the comedy.”

The campaign will run across video, OOH, digital, and social in New Zealand.