At October’s Police Association annual conference, Commissioner Richard Chambers promised a new leadership team by January. That was before the IPCA’s astonishing report on Jevon McSkimming in November.

Now, every move Richard Chambers makes will be put under a magnifying glass, backlit by media lights, with an election-year Government hovering over his shoulder and a flabbergasted public whose trust in Police has been eroded.

“The report does make for disturbing reading, but it relates to the actions of a few senior leaders,” NZ Police Association president Steve Watt says. “But for members, this is not just a leadership story – it’s about how day-today work and career progression could change.”

For thousands of association members, the IPCA’s 21 recommendations could mean new reporting duties, stricter promotion checks and cultural shifts in how teams operate.

The IPCA doesn’t rule on allegations but its report exposes serious failings in leadership and integrity processes. It calls for the most significant changes in nearly 20 years, reshaping integrity systems that underpin disciplinary processes and progression.

Richard Chambers has accepted all the recommendations and says they will play a part in the “extensive refresh” of the Police executive and wider leadership.

The new leadership team will formulate a plan to address them, he says.

Meanwhile, revision of the Police Code of Conduct is under way, six investigators have been added to the National Integrity Unit (NIU) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) has been asked to conduct a Performance Improvement Review into Police – the first since 2012. This will focus on integrity and conduct, areas that directly affect how complaints and investigations are handled.

“These changes could alter timelines for investigations and introduce new oversight layers,” Steve says.

What's recommended?

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR INTEGRITY: The person in this role would have oversight of ethics and conduct. NIU would report directly to the deputy commissioner and gain more independence, essentially creating a second power centre within Police. Senior members seeking promotion would face stricter vetting, including disclosure tests and IT-use audits. Integrity screening would be additional to current checks, and the heightened level of screening could extend wider. Safeguards and clear privacy boundaries would be crucial.

MANDATORY MISCONDUCT REPORTING: This would include a legal duty or Code of Conduct obligation to report suspected misconduct; confidential reporting channels; and compulsory integrity training for all staff. Failure to report could itself become misconduct, creating anxiety about relationships with colleagues and potential misuse of anonymous channels.

“We’ll be seeking clarity on what this means in a practical sense and ensuring that all processes are transparent and respect natural justice. No member should be disadvantaged by opaque or retrospective standards,” NZPA principal legal officer Liz Gooch says.

“Members are already aware of their good faith obligations and the policies outlining the requirements to report misconduct. Concerns are regularly reported internally and we deal with matters where members have raised concerns about the conduct of others quite often.”

“It is incumbent on Police to deal with these matters reasonably, proportionally and in a timely manner. If responses are drawn out and unfair, that discourages members raising concerns,” she says.

Steve agrees: “Members need the confidence that reporting systems will be fair, confidential and free from misuse.”

EXPANDED IPCA POWERS: This would give the IPCA own-motion powers, allowing investigations to start without a complaint, the authority to direct Police to act, and enable it to make non-binding recommendations on employment outcomes. It would report annually to Parliament.

“People are human and mistakes will always happen. Human behaviours are also almost always more nuanced than a retrospective view can provide. Building credibility with the public is important but building and retaining credibility among staff equally so. We’ll be pressing for clear boundaries between IPCA oversight and employment frameworks,” Liz says.

“The disciplinary process has been wanting for some time. Hopefully, this significant review will provide a better pathway to more timely outcomes that are transparent and withstand scrutiny.

“Ultimately, it is about members’ rights as employees remaining intact. Fair, reasonable and timely decisions must be made by the employer, taking into account all circumstances. This includes any review looking at why something happened, not just what happened,” she says.

CULTURAL CHANGE: Emphasis would be placed on psychological safety, supervisors would be expected to challenge poor behaviour actively, and new direct escalation channels to the commissioner, PSC or IPCA would be introduced bypassing normal chains of command.

“Accountability must be universal, irrespective of rank or position, and cultural change should be collaborative, not punitive,” Steve says. “While the aim is to restore public trust, the requirements could feel heavy-handed if they are not applied fairly.”

What happens next?

The IPCA report represents a turning point for Police integrity. If all its recommendations are adopted, every association member will be expected to up their game, not just in upholding integrity standards and not just at the coalface.

The reforms aim to rebuild public trust but they also raise questions about fairness, transparency and natural justice. Members want reassurance the reforms will not be applied with a heavy hand and they won’t create further delays to employment investigations.

“Investigations are already beleaguered by delays and cause significant distress and harm. We have long raised issues regarding poor processes, delays and what appears to be an immediate presumption of guilt for members facing an investigation,” Liz says.

“We will caution against adding more layers that could worsen this. Bureaucracy must be balanced with Police’s good employer obligations – a balance that has long been problematic. Reasonable and timely decisions are what will be key to building and maintaining credibility in the framework, whatever that transpires to be.” 

Steve says the association’s top priorities will be influencing mandatory reporting frameworks, setting fair audit standards and clarifying the IPCA’s expanded powers. 

“We will seek a seat at the table as changes are formulated. It is vital that we ensure they build trust but not at the expense of safeguards for members. We do not want to see them become a blunt instrument. Yes, integrity matters, particularly fairness. We will work tirelessly to ensure both principles guide any changes.”