After a terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, Zina Ali decided to join the police force to help Muslims living there.
Now this week she will not only graduate as a police officer, but also be the first female officer in New Zealand to wear the hijab issued by the police as part of her uniform.
It may be recalled that on March 15 last year, a terrorist entered two mosques in Al-Noor and Lanewood and opened fire when a large number of worshipers were present in the mosque for Friday prayers.
On August 27 this year, a New Zealand court sentenced Brenton Trent to life in prison without parole.
Zina Ali, 30, also worked with the police to design a hijab that matched both her new character and her religion.
According to the New Zealand Herald, he said that the designing of the hijab took place before he started his police college, for which he offered suggestions for styles and different materials.
Further changes were made in this regard before the course and they also have a separate hijab for this occasion to wear at graduation.
Zina Ali Tamaki will be stationed in the Macauro area and is very excited about this, she said, adding that it is a great feeling to go out and wear the New Zealand Police hijab as part of the uniform.
"I think seeing this, more Muslim women will join the police force."
Zina Ali remembers the moment when she decided to leave customer service and go to law enforcement.
"I worked with a security guard and she was going to join the police. They asked me for help," she said.
"When I started this process, the tragedy happened in Christchurch and then I realized that there was a need for more Muslim women in the police to help people with these things."
"If I had joined the police first, I would have been there to help."
Zina Ali was born in Fiji and moved to New Zealand with her family as a child.
She said she was proud to represent Muslims, especially women, and hoped that other women would be inspired to join the police force.
The police hijab will mean that women who in the past did not think of joining the police because of their religion or culture will be able to do so.
"I'm proud to wear it and I hope other people will be proud of me."
In this regard, the New Zealand Police said that they recognize the different perspectives and experiences and consider them important so that it can improve their work.
"Reflecting communities, we serve and appreciate different thinking, our goal is better solutions and results," police said.
Zina Ali's wing will be a total graduate, which is 'very diverse' and has more women than men.
51.3% of them are women and 48.7% of the graduates are from non-European nationalities while only 25% of the male officers are from the wing.
It may be recalled that the turban was introduced by the New Zealand Police in 2008 and Nelson Constable Jug Mohan Malhi was the first officer on duty to wear the turban.
