Police recruits' arrival spark fears for student wellbeing at Massey Auckland

With 40 police recruits hitting their one-month anniversary with Massey Albany, students are still yet to come to the party — raising concerns over disrupted safe spaces, harm to minority groups, and exclusionary recruitment practices.  

Ōtehā disability student rep Eloise Fleming was disappointed that no student consultation or wellbeing assessment was taken up before the university chose the police as tenants.  

Police recruits now occupy the Level 2 Watson Labs, as well as a number of dorm rooms, offices, and car parks. Additionally, they have access to gym and recreational areas.   

In May, Disability at Massey took an open letter to the university, standing against the decision to lease campus space to police recruits.  

Fleming said Disability at Massey questioned whether the decision risks impacting student wellbeing under the Education Pastoral Care Code. The code, established by the Government, covers tertiary students’ wellbeing and safety.  

The letter, shared with Massive, raised various concerns, including the potential harm for tanga whaikaha Māori, a group already underrepresented within the Massey student body.  

Other minority groups were also at risk of harm, the letter said, such as Māori, Pasifika and the Rainbow community.

The letter pointed out the police’s exclusionary recruitment practices, emphasising that individuals with disabilities — especially those taking medication to support their wellbeing — are frequently unable to join the force. 

Fleming also criticised Massey’s complaints process, saying a dedicated staff member should field complaints about the police school directly, rather than relying on “inadequate and incomplete” systems. 

Currently the system provides no direct point of contact and requires students to submit concerns via a downloadable PDF form.  

A Massey spokesperson suggested students continue to utilise the existing complaints processes and services.  

The university confirmed that student consultation was not done prior to the partnership announcement, saying the wider community could not be privy to the commercial negotiation phase.  

Dialogue with staff and students took place after the decision was made, with a ‘Social Impact Assessment survey’ and in person feedback sessions.  

“Both parties have a vested interest in working with the university community to co-design the implementation and monitoring phases of the partnership with New Zealand Police.”  

They said the feedback had been a balanced mix of positive sentiment and some apprehension.  

Students can register interest and availability to engage with ongoing social impact efforts via this MyHub form.