Less than two years after being celebrated as a police recruitment success story and receiving a leadership award on graduating from police college, a former constable has admitted stealing a Glock pistol while in the force.

Last year, Steven John Karehana was the face of a New Zealand police recruitment campaign, sharing how he had overcome earlier mistakes and hoped to inspire young Māori to consider a career in policing.

A year earlier, he received the Commissioner’s Leadership Award when his wing graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College.

Then, on February 11 this year, Karehana stole a police firearm worth $1204 in Whanganui.

Karehana, of Marton and posted in Whanganui, was charged with theft and unlawful possession of a firearm arising from the same incident.

The Glock was provided to an associate and sold for $10,000.

Today, he appeared in Whanganui District Court, where he pleaded guilty to both charges and his interim name suppression lapsed.

He faces a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment for theft and four years for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Karehana will appear in court on December 4 for sentencing.

NZME understands he has resigned from New Zealand police.

In the recruitment campaign, Karehana described his path to policing as far from straightforward.

At the time, he told NZME that when he first applied 20 years earlier, he was turned down because of a criminal charge from his youth that was dealt with by way of diversion.

He said he was encouraged to gain more life experience and stay out of trouble before reapplying.

Steven Karehana appeared in Whanganui District Court, where he was convicted of theft and unlawful possession of a firearm.

When he was finally accepted in 2023, he said it felt “surreal”.

Karehana said he wanted to inspire the next generation.

“I’ve come from a background where, in my family, they don’t get on with police, and I wanted to try and change that narrative,” he told NZME.

“If I can inspire one young Māori boy, then, you know, it’s worthwhile.”

His advice to recruits was to “bring your authentic self”.

“Don’t change to fit the organisation, because the organisation wants you for who you are,” he said.

A police statement announcing the October 2024 graduation of Recruit Wing 378 said Karehana had received the leadership award.

“This is the beginning of our journey in the New Zealand Police, but for all of us graduating, there are many people who have sacrificed and worked hard to allow us to be here, and we are very grateful. We could not have done it without you,” Karehana said at the time.

“The call to service is one few answer, but it is a selfless sacrifice to put community above self and by graduating today we have all joined a proud and selfless organisation.”

Police in court

Karehana is one of several police employees or former employees before the courts, charged with criminal offending.

Also in Whanganui, Senior Constable Peter Elliot Gray, 61, has been accused of tipping off suspected drug dealers about planned police search warrants.

Gray, who is suspended on full pay, faces a charge of using a computer system for dishonest purposes and a representative charge of wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He is also charged with possessing a cannabis plant, two glass pipes used for smoking methamphetamine, and a pipe for consuming cannabis.

In June, New Zealand police announced three constabulary staff had been charged after a rapid internal review of staff internet use following the Jevon McSkimming scandal.

Matthew Rogers was one of two Auckland-based officers charged and has pleaded guilty to a representative count of possessing an objectionable publication. The other officer, who cannot be named, has pleaded guilty to the same charge.

The third officer, who also cannot be named, has appeared in Wellington District Court charged with 10 counts of possessing an objectionable publication.

Other recent Auckland cases include a former police officer found guilty of 14 charges relating to assaults on three women while he was in the force; another who pleaded guilty to making and possessing intimate recordings of three women; and officer Amanuel Molla, who was stood down after being charged with doing an indecent act on a child under 12.