75 years of women
For Senior Constable Jackie Drayson celebrating 75 years of policewomen is not just about her profession but all career women.
June 3 1941 was when women were first accepted into police training in New Zealand and Thursdsy Drayson will join her South Waikato colleagues for various activities to mark the anniversary.
That will include the handing over of a baton which is making its way around the country.
The two halves of the illuminated torch, which represents the New Zealand Police tohu, started a tour of the twelve Policing districts on 24th of June simultaneously in Cape Reinga and Bluff.
One half travellined up the South Island and another down the North Island, stopping off for events in a number of towns and cities along the way.
‘‘Our celebrations will start at the Putaruru Water Park at 8am and it would be nice to get other women to come and join us too because this is not only about policewomen but women in any career really that has been traditionally male dominated,’’ she said.
The Tirau Fire Brigade will then take Drayson, who is the only female uniformed police officer in Putaruru, and her colleagues to Tokoroa where there will be a welcoming at the Tokoroa Police Station at 8.50am.
At 9.15 there will then be a parade down Mannering St, Bridge St, Leith Pl, and Logan St followed by speeches and morning tea from 9.30am until 10am when the baton will leave for Turangi.
‘‘We are not only recognising the anniversary and celebrating achievements but also the current women in New Zealand policing,’’ Drayson said.
She said since 1941 there have been five policewomen at the Putaruru Police Station where she has worked for 15 of her 17 years with the police.
She is currently the station’s youth aid constable.
‘‘It is a career that allows diversity and for you to be an equal.
I have always been very lucky in this job and accepted for who I am,’’ she said.
‘‘I think we are an organisation where woman are very accepted and have equal opportunities.
There are also a variety of avenues you can take to suit your strengths and personality.’’