Meet NZ Police's new mother-daughter cop duo

It's a tough job being on the police frontline - but imagine catching criminals with your mother watching closely.

Well, that's how Counties Manukau's newest recruit is beginning her career - at the same station where her mother is also a Constable.

"We'll kind of be able to go through together and experience a lot of the same things," says 19-year-old Constable Shannon Cockerton. "I know for me it's kinda cool to have someone at home who really understands it."

She's been working at the Counties Manukau station for about four weeks, after graduating from police training college last month.

Her mother, Constable Rhonda Cockerton, has been based at the same station for the last two years.

Now when the pair take their "better work stories" home at the end of the day, it makes for some interesting family dinner conversations.

"I think the others at home probably get left out sometimes," says Const. Rhonda.

But both she and Shannon say they wouldn't be where they are without the support of their family.

Working for police has been Rhonda's dream since she was a child. She first wrote to apply when she was just 14-years-old.

"I remember the letter I got back. They said write back mid-1987 when you're 19 and I remember thinking 'that's never going to get here!'"

But those plans were put on hold when Rhonda became a full-time mother at the age of 20. She spent the next 26 years raising four children, and never imagined she'd be able to join the police.

"That's a lot of years making school lunches, and I - probably three years ago now - realised I really needed to find something else, to do something for me," she says.

Her husband suggested she join the police force.

"I was literally like I'm too old for that, there's no way. I was 46 at that point."

A month later she decided to apply, and seven months later ended up at police training college.

Now she wants to encourage other women - no matter what path they've chosen - to do the same.

"I felt really limited. I didn't feel like the skills I'd gathered over the years parenting were going to get me any kind of job, but actually this is the perfect job for me."

She says age is no barrier when it comes to police, and her experience as a mother has helped in her work with victims of family violence.

Const. Shannon says while she never planned to join the police at such a young age, her mother inspired her to do so.

"I went to uni and it wasn't what I wanted it to be. I loved what I was learning about, but the career facing me at the end of that wasn't really what I wanted. It wasn't what aligned with my personal values, and kind of where I saw myself," she says.

"I wasn't really sure if they'd take me at 19, because I know there is still so much for me to learn about myself."

Despite Shannon being the youngest in her wing, she graduated from police college last month.

Although she's still technically a teenager, Rhonda isn't worried about the potential danger her daughter could face on the frontline. Instead she can't wait to see Shannon's bright future in blue unfold.

"I'll be here for advice or whatever she needs along the way, but she's also going to have to learn her craft and find her place in amongst her own people on her own," says Rhonda.

And for anyone wondering, yes, Shannon still calls Rhonda 'Mum' at work.

Newshub.