Shadbolt becomes patron to police recruit wing

Tim Shadbolt speaks at a 1983 protest in Auckland. Photo by NZ Herald.
Tim Shadbolt speaks at a 1983 protest in Auckland. Photo by NZ Herald.
Mayor Tim Shadbolt becoming a wing patron for a crop of New Zealand police recruits.

Mr Shadbolt (67) led a colourful life in the 1960s and early 1970s. He lived on a commune, smoked cannabis, was arrested frequently during political protests, and was imprisoned twice for refusing to pay fines imposed for using indecent language in public during protests.

He wrote about his lifestyle, his brushes with the law and his uncomplimentary view of the New Zealand police in his 1971 autobiography Bullshit and Jellybeans.

He also admitted in the book involvement in a lucrative ''business enterprise'' involving police helmets - he and his friends would capture helmets at demonstrations and sell them for $50 each to pay off their fines.

Now Mr Shadbolt has become patron of a group of 80 recruits who were inducted at the Royal New Zealand Police College, Porirua, last weekend and will graduate in three months.

He laughed when asked whether college bosses had remembered about his convictions.

''I don't think convictions necessarily count against you. They want recruits to hear from a wide range of people from a wide range of backgrounds.''

He said this was the first time he had been a wing patron, although he had been a regular guest speaker at the college for several years.

As a wing patron, Mr Shadbolt said he was also able to attend some training sessions with his recruits, including police dog training and weapons training.

But he said he did not think he needed any more practice with guns.

''I get enough of that deer-shooting with [Invercargill MP] Eric Roy.''

- Allison Beckham

 

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