Summarised by Centrist
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the fallout from the Jevon McSkimming scandal represents a serious breach of trust in the police.
The PM agreed with Police Commissioner Richard Chambers that senior leaders effectively orchestrated a cover-up. “This is a big hit to integrity and trust for the police,” he said.
An Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation found a young woman who accused McSkimming of sexual misconduct had been badly let down by police. Luxon called her treatment confronting, appalling, shocking and disgusting, and said the case had dealt a major hit to public confidence in the institution.
Former commissioner Andrew Coster is now on leave from his role as chief executive of the Social Investment Agency while an employment process runs its course.
The IPCA report stopped short of confirming whether the allegations against McSkimming were true but criticised the conduct of senior executives and the culture that allowed decisions to prioritise career interests over accountability.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell, who earlier described the situation as the work of a corrupt police executive before walking the comment back, said the woman had been ignored and then unfairly targeted after making complaints. The woman, known as Ms Z, faced a charge of causing harm by posting digital communication, which was later dropped.
Mitchell also defended current commissioner Richard Chambers, downplaying his recent “minor infractions,” including a brief swim taken while a tsunami advisory was still in force.
Luxon said the public should not judge frontline officers by the actions of senior leaders who have already left the organisation.
Further employment consequences are expected as internal processes continue.
