Face of the Day

Former Prime Minister John Key says the public’s trust in the police has been threatened by recent serious misconduct.

His comments come after an Independent Police Conduct Authority report released this week found senior police leaders mishandled accusations of sexual offending by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of a police recruit wing in Auckland on Friday morning, Sir John Key acknowledged it had been a “tough week” for police.

“There needs to be trust between the public and the police and the events of the past week threaten that trust.

“What happened is significant and important, and that’s why it’s being taken very seriously. The challenge is how we handle it now to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

He praised current Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, saying he would be one of the finest leaders in police history and was the right person for the job of rebuilding public trust.

RNZ