Custody Officer - Gisborne

New Zealand Government; Gisborne; On-site; NZD 74,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency is seeking Custody Officers to join their team in Gisborne, starting March 2026. Responsible for the health and safety of detainees during their time in custody, candidates should have strong communication skills, empathy, and attention to detail. The role requires physically fit individuals with a full NZ Driver Licence who can manage the complexities of a custody environment. Starting salary ranges from $74,748.00 to $78,129.00 p.a. based on skills and experience.

Qualifications

• Hold a full New Zealand Driver Licence.
• Be physically fit and complete a fitness assessment as part of the recruitment process.
• Be willing to complete a pre-employment Medical Assessment (including a drug test).

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe and humane containment of detainees in police custody.
• Monitor detainee behavior and provide appropriate care.
• Ensure legislative compliance and data entry in Police systems.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Tools

Computer skills

Job description

Custody Officer – Gisborne

New Zealand Police is working with the community to make New Zealanders be safe and feel safe. With over 15,000 staff, we provide policing services 24 hours a day, every day. We operate by land, sea and air, manage over 860,000 emergency calls a year and are always actively preventing crime and crashes.

We’re working towards specific goals and targets that highlight our intent to work collaboratively with iwi and communities, other government sectors and business partners to deliver our business and achieve long‑term change.

• Based in Gisborne
• Multiple Vacancies
• March 2026 Start
• Starting Salary of $74,748.00
• Permanent – Full Time
• NAV
• JR5361334

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The new year is fast approaching, and we are currently recruiting for our March 2026 intake for Custody Officers to join New Zealand Police in the Gisborne Custody Unit. You will be joining our highly skilled and professional team to manage the health and safety of detainees whilst they are in our custody and during transit.

The role of a Custody Officer is to ensure the safe, secure, and humane containment and transportation of all detainees within the Police Custody environment. A Custody environment is any location where a person is in police custody, including cells, courtrooms, prisons, hospitals, and the transit between locations.

You will be responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the detainee, monitoring their behaviour and state of mind, providing the appropriate care, and ensuring professional standards are continuously met.

These duties include, but are not limited to, prisoner management, both in the custody suite and within a court environment; risk management, with an emphasis on keeping staff and prisoners safe from harm; developing and maintaining interagency relationships; data entry and ensuring legislative compliance.

This role requires confident, open-minded people with high attention to detail and an ability to follow stringent safety procedures.

Key Accountabilities

• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to de‑escalate emotional situations.
• High levels of empathy and compassion.
• Resilience, perseverance, and calm, professional manner.
• Strong attention to detail, accurate and precise, with the ability to record and prepare information such as statements for court.
• Duty of care, understanding the welfare, health, safety, and level of care required for detainees.
• Strong team player, reliable, trustworthy, flexible to work shifts, weekends, public holidays.
• Decisive, cool, calm, and collected, can think on your feet, using your initiative and work well under pressure.
• Good computer skills and are comfortable learning new systems, as you will be required to input and update data accurately in Police systems, accurate typing abilities are essential.

He aha taau e kawe mai | What you’ll bring

• Outstanding communication skills
• Empathy for others
• Commitment
• Integrity
• Problem‑solving abilities
• A sense of humour is also pretty important.

To be eligible to apply you must:

• Hold a full New Zealand Driver Licence
• Have the right to work and live in New Zealand.
• Be physically fit and able to compete a fitness assessment as part of your recruitment process
• Be willing to complete a pre‑employment Medical Assessment (including a drug test)
• Be able to work full time covering a variety of shifts (6:30am – 2:30pm / 2:00pm – 11:00pm / 10:00pm – 7:00am) including weekends and public holidays, on 6 days on, 4 days off rota

Mo tātou | About us

New Zealand Police is the lead agency responsible for preventing crime and enhancing community safety. It works in partnership with individuals, communities, businesses, and other public sector agencies towards the vision of making New Zealand the safest country. Police is the government’s largest front‑line response agency with around 15,000 staff in large and small communities all over New Zealand and in liaison and policing development roles overseas.

Your development is highly valued at NZ Police. Our employees enjoy significant investment in their development not only at an individual level, but also at the team and community practice level. We work hard to match you with work that will both play to your strengths and challenge you in new ways.

The work you’ll be engaged in is real, tangible work that directly benefits our frontline and communities. Taken all together, this means we can offer you career path opportunities to progress in your chosen profession and become a more well‑rounded, experienced leader, with opportunities across the range of work we support.

Tono ināianei | Apply now

Please note: Applications submitted directly through the Government Jobs Website are no longer considered. Please visit our Police Careers page and apply that way.

If this position sounds like you then click on Apply Now as your new career for 2026 is waiting for you.

To view more detailed information about our recruitment process along with further details about requirements please click below link:

Applicant Information Pack

Utu ā-tau | Salary

This position is covered by a collective agreement and salary will commence between $74,748.00 and $78,129.00 dependent on skills and experience relevant to the role.

Applications close at 5pm, Sunday 14th December 2025.

Applications will be reviewed and progressed through the process prior to the advert closing so don’t delay as your new career for 2026 starts by applying now!

Custody Officers are responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the people in our care, monitoring their behaviour and state of mind, providing the appropriate care, and ensuring professional standards are continuously met.