For years, police officers heading into constabulary pay talks have faced the same frustration.

Unlike many other workers, they cannot strike. They cannot walk off the job or march through the streets to force attention onto bargaining claims.

So when the Police Association launched “Repay the Risk” ahead of this year’s constabulary pay negotiations, it marked something different – a visible, co-ordinated campaign designed to make frontline police work impossible to ignore.

What began with postcards and stickers quickly became a nationwide show of collegial action, fuelled by personal stories from members, bright yellow wristbands worn across districts, a billboard facing Parliament and thousands of petition signatures.

Association president Steve Watt says the campaign is built around one core reality: police officers want their voices heard.

“Members have felt that when it comes to their pay negotiations, they are essentially invisible,” he says. “No ability to work to rule, no marching in the streets – nothing to capture the attention of politicians or the public. That is why we are doing things differently this pay round.”

Built on real work stories

Repay the Risk officially launched on May 1 – International Workers’ Day and the same day bargaining was initiated. Rather than industrial action, the campaign focuses on lawful, visible solidarity.

Independent legal advice obtained by the association reinforces that while police staff cannot strike, members still retain rights to lawful expression and participation during bargaining.

The campaign’s centrepiece has quickly become members telling their own stories to MPs – to highlight the realities of modern policing and in the hopes it will garner their political support to push for a fair wage that attracts new cops.

Postcards outline the deeply personal experiences of today’s officers – attending suicides, fatal crashes, violent family harm incidents and sexual assaults while dealing with trauma, abuse and danger.

Members also speak openly about growing financial pressure. Some describe struggling with rent or mortgages, while others talk about taking second jobs or seriously considering a move to Australia.

The campaign’s recurring themes? That retention, recruitment and morale are inseparable from pay and recognition.

Visibility and solidarity

As bargaining begins, campaign visibility has become a major focus. More than 11,500 yellow wristbands and thousands of stickers, postcards and posters have been distributed nationally.

Steve urged members to wear the wristbands on May 1, describing visibility as “our strength”.

“The more wristbands we see, the louder the message and the harder we are to ignore.”

Across the country, stations decorated staff areas with campaign material, members posed for photos in wristbands, and local committees organised displays of support. Launch day also saw the unveiling of a giant Repay the Risk billboard opposite Parliament.

Campaign organisers said participation varies across districts, but overall engagement remains strongly positive. In some areas, local MPs are meeting directly with members.

Within a week of its launch, the campaign petition passed its initial target of 5000 signatures. Online support has also been surging. A solidarity video produced by former New Zealand police officer Xiaobin “Chop” Dong – now serving with Queensland Police – attracted 79,000 views in its first week.

For campaign organisers, the issue is not simply about salaries. It is about whether policing in New Zealand remains a viable long-term career.

The message from across the Tasman is blunt: Australian agencies are actively recruiting New Zealand officers with significantly better pay and conditions. Steve says the migration issue is already affecting frontline staffing.

“Our members want to serve their communities here at home, but the reality is that Australian police services are offering significantly better pay and conditions,” he said. “We’re losing experienced officers because we’re falling behind – and that’s not sustainable.”

Pressure stays on

Support for the campaign is also coming from outside policing.

Among a number of solidarity messages from unions and businesses, Workers First Union expressed support on behalf of ambulance staff, while the Corrections Association of New Zealand publicly backed Repay the Risk. It warns that recruitment and retention problems across frontline services will continue worsening without meaningful intervention.

The support reinforces one of the campaign’s broader themes: that concerns about pay, staffing and wellbeing are increasingly shared across emergency services.

Despite the campaign’s visibility, association leaders stress bargaining remains in its early stages. Claims have now been exchanged between Police and the association, but negotiations are continuing.

Steve acknowledges that some members may feel deflated by the initial response from Police and the Government.

“But it’s imperative that we keep the pedal to the floor and continue to drive the campaign forward to get recognition from Government and the uplift you all deserve.”