Latest news with #Independent Police Conduct Authority
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Police commissioner Chambers 'angry' and 'let down' following allegations against former deputy
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Photo: Calvin Samuel / RNZ The police commissioner has emailed staff saying he is aware there are many who are "angry and feel let down" following revelations that child exploitation and bestiality material were allegedly found on the former deputy commissioner's work devices. "I feel the same," Richard Chambers told staff in an email. Jevon Skimming resigned as the country's second most powerful cop in May amid separate investigations by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) and police. His resignation came a week after RNZ approached him, via his lawyer, with allegations about material found on his work devices. RNZ earlier revealed pornography found on McSkimming's work devices was being investigated as alleged objectionable material. On Friday, an interim injunction that prohibited publishing the nature of the allegedly objectionable material lapsed after Justice Karen Grau declined McSkimming's application to continue the order. Do you know more? Email Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said he was unable to comment at this time on Friday. He has since sent an email to staff, seen by RNZ. In the email Chambers addressed the media reports "in relation to an individual". "I am aware that there are many who are angry and feel let down. I feel the same. "It is important to let you know at this point I am unable to comment on the matter, but I do intend to do so when I am able to. "As I have said before, I have high expectations of all Police staff and will act if standards are not met, irrespective of rank or role. "These are the actions of an individual, and I will do my best not to let it distract from the job we are all here to do. "However, I am aware there may be reactions from some that do not sit easily with you." Chambers said if any staff wanted to talk they could contact him or their manager. RNZ has spoken to several police officers after the order lapsed on Friday evening, each of whom on the condition of anonymity. A senior police officer told RNZ the news was "a sad time for New Zealand police". If the allegations were found to be true the officer felt "he's betrayed us all". Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Photo: Getty Images Another police officer said they were "very disappointed" to hear of the allegations. "Especially someone at that level of leadership. I hope all details of his alleged offending will be revealed as soon as possible. At police college we got a talk about how much the historic sexual abuse allegations from Rotorua tarnished our image. They would stop someone during a routine traffic stop and be told 'just don't rape me' many years after the allegation came out people were still talking about it." A former police officer told RNZ the allegations would have a "significant impact" on frontline staff. They had spoken to several serving police officers following the news, many of whom were "gutted". He said one former staffer told them McSkimming would not be welcome near a police station again, others expressed frustration at the reputational damage to police. Police Minister Mark Mitchell declined to comment on Friday. Following McSkimming's resignation, Mitchell accepted trust in the police could take a hit. But he told reporters he hoped the public realised New Zealand had a "world class police force". "The public are savvy enough to know that you are going to have isolated cases of bad behaviour, but they also recognise the fact that our police act very quickly to deal with that," Mitchell said. As an ex-cop, the police's reputation was very important to him, Mitchell said. "I hope that the public see through and realise that we have got an outstanding police force, we've got incredible police officers. "Yes, like any big large organisation, if there's bad behaviour, or you get people who don't hold to the values ... then quick action is taken. "In this case, even though it involves one of our most senior police officers, you've seen that action was taken very quickly to make sure that that public confidence can be maintained." McSkimming's lawyer Linda Clark was earlier granted a rare "superinjunction" by Justice Grau that prohibited reporting the existence of the injunction itself as well as the nature of the allegedly objectionable material. Following a teleconference held by Justice Gwyn, the order prohibiting publication of the nature of the allegedly objectionable material was continued - but the order prohibiting the existence of the injunction was not continued, meaning RNZ could report the fact of McSkimming's application and the interim result. On 3 June, a hearing was held in the High Court at Wellington before Justice Karen Grau in relation to the injunction. RNZ, NZME and Stuff were jointly represented by Robert Stewart KC. On 11 July, Justice Grau released her judgement, declining McSkimming's application, but her reasons for doing so were suppressed and the existing interim injunction was continued to allow McSkimming time to consider his appeal options, should he wish to do so. No notice of appeal was filed, and RNZ can now report the type of objectionable publication purportedly found on his work devices. In November last year McSkimming was placed on "special leave" as the IPCA and then police carried out their separate investigations. RNZ understands it was during police's investigation that the alleged objectionable material was found on his work devices. A second criminal investigation was then launched. At the injunction hearing, Clark alleged information deemed "essential" to the investigation had been leaked to the media, who were intending to publish the information. The information gathered during the police investigation was "confidential", she said. She said that every time police had provided some substantive piece of information to McSkimming, it had appeared within the media "in a day or two days without exception". Clark said there was public interest in McSkimming's situation, but that interest had been served by the reporting to date. Stewart KC said there were two sorts of harm that could be considered, one of which was harm to the police investigation. He said the police had no concern that further disclosure of the material would impact their investigation. In relation to privacy, Stewart KC said McSkimming was "quite clearly" a public figure. "There is a huge public interest in these investigations into Mr McSkimming's abrupt resignation from office, first working day after he had been provided with the material by the Public Service Commission." Stewart KC said his clients submitted that, if the interim restraint should be continued, then "matters should be left to take their course, if there is to be any restraining at all, it should be as limited as possible for as short as possible". At the time of McSkimming's resignation Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he was recently informed of allegations of a "very serious nature", separate to the investigation that led to him being suspended. "When Mr McSkimming was invited to respond to these allegations he chose to resign. Mr McSkimming's resignation has confirmed my view that his continuation in the role was untenable." The IPCA earlier announced it was investigating allegations of misconduct by McSkimming following a complaint from a member of the public . It is also conducting an investigation into if there was misconduct or neglect of duty by any other police officers or employee in responding to the allegations. The investigations were being given priority, but no timeframe for their completion date could be given. McSkimming was one of the final two candidates for New Zealand's top cop job last year, with Chambers eventually appointed police commissioner. McSkimming was promoted to statutory deputy commissioner in 2023 on the recommendation of then-prime minister Chris Hipkins. Late last year he was overseeing road policing and operational services, which include strategy, media and communications, risk and assurance, and firearms regulation and reform. During his appointment process, it was noted he had a "relatively unique career path", working at police headquarters since 2010 across a range of areas: strategy, service delivery, resolution, financial planning, arms admin, ICT and infrastructure. McSkimming joined the police in 1996 and worked on the frontline in Auckland and Southland. He had also been responsible for large restructures - as well as managing police IT systems, property portfolio, vehicles, and launching the 105 non-emergency number. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Child exploitation and beastiality material allegedly found on former top cop's work devices
It can now be revealed child exploitation and beastiality material were allegedly found on former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming's work devices. McSkimming resigned as the country's second most powerful cop in May amid separate investigations by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and police. National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to Melissa Chan-Green. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Police officer slept with woman after routine traffic stop
The officer also left police equipment at the woman's address and shared digital images of police activity with her. File photo. Photo: 123RF A police officer who stopped a woman at a routine traffic stop used the police database to make enquires about the woman and had consensual sex with her the next night. The Independent Police Conduct Authority has released its summary findings of a police investigation which looked into two officers' conduct with a member of the public. It said Officer B and his field training officer Officer A were working together on a nightshift when they initially conducted a routine traffic stop of Ms Z and queried her in the police database. "Officer A subsequently contacted Ms Z by text message, resulting in an inappropriate conversation, which Officer B was unaware of. "The officers separately conducted several further queries of Ms Z in the police database towards the end of their shift." The next night, the officers drove an intoxicated Ms Z home after she called Officer A and requested a ride home from her workplace. They were both invited inside. "Officer B became uncomfortable with being in the address, returning to the patrol vehicle parked outside, leaving Officer A and Ms Z inside the address for an extended period of time. While together inside the address Officer A and Ms Z engaged in consensual sexual activity," the authority said. "Officer B conducted additional queries of Ms Z within the police database due to concerns he held for the actions of Officer A with Ms Z." The authority said Officer A returned to Ms Z's address by himself twice while on duty in the subsequent weeks and both times engaged in sexual activity. Officer A also left police equipment at the address, shared digital images of police activity with Ms Z and made a large number of further queries about Ms Z in the police database. Police said the investigation started in December 2024, when they became aware of video footage circulating depicting two police staff on duty inside a private address. It said the video was taken around June 2024. "As a result, our investigation established Officer A engaged in consensual sexual activity with the woman at the time," said Superintendent Sunny Patel, Auckland City District Commander. "It was also established Officer A visited the woman's address on multiple occasions after the video was filmed," he said. "These visits occurred while he was on duty." Patel said during the investigation, both members' use of the police database and the sharing of police information was explored. "There was insufficient evidence to prove criminal offending occurred," he said. "However, regardless of this finding, there are high expectations set on our people while they are on duty." Patel said Officer A was the more experienced member of the pair, being Officer B's field training officer when they were both on the nightshift. "We are appalled at the poor conduct and decision making of Officer A throughout this matter." He said while Officer A had resigned from police during the investigation, an employment process was carried out in accordance with the Public Service Commission's guidelines. Officer B was also subject to a confidential employment process as a result. The authority said it was satisfied with the investigation police undertook and the outcome reached for both officers. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
