Printer-friendly VersionConstable Phillip Pithyou Police Officer
Where is your family from?
We are Assyrian Christians from the north of Iraq and from Turkey.
How long have you been in the police?
One and half years
How was the selection process - difficult, long?
Definitely took longer than expected, although no one aspect was hard, there were a lot of criteria. In a way you have to be a jack of all trades as opposed to being a master of any one.
What made you join?
I was working at a youth service for a few years. While working there I ran a few projects with young people. A couple of local community constables got involved in the projects and that's where it all started.
How do you deal with challenges of policing in an ethnically diverse society?
I try to be patient and genuine. I think that no matter what culture you are, there are still intrinsically universal ideals which people appreciate. Usually these are communicated through actions rather than what you say. Once people have faith in you as a police officer, the rest by contrast, is easy.
How do members of your community and family view you now that you are a member of the police?
I think most support me in the fact that I'm the first in my community to join the police. It's empowered a few potential recruits from my community who have shown interest in joining. In saying this I'm pretty sure there may be some who are suspicious, but then you get these types in all communities.
At the beginning some misunderstood the concept of being a police officer in New Zealand, mostly because at the back of their minds they still had the horrors of Saddam's secret police engraved in their minds. With education and exposure it becomes clear what joining the New Zealand Police really means.
How do members of the police view you with your ethnic background?
I think New Zealand generally doesn’t really know who an Assyrian is. I suppose it will take a while before the community establishes itself. This won't happen until boundaries are broken, and I believe that me joining the police is just one step. Hopefully many more will come.
Who inspired you to go into policing?
Joining the police was simply an extension of the community work I was already doing. There was some encouragement from community constables and inspectors I'd meet through community engagement meetings.