Police Deputy Commissioner investigated over conduct towards young woman

Thursday, 12 December 2024

One of the country’s top cops is under investigation and on leave.

Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, who recently lost out on the Commissioner role to rival Richard Chambers, is believed to be under scrutiny over his conduct towards a former female non-sworn police employee many years his junior.

He’s been on leave for several weeks, sources say.

Approached for comment at his home on Tuesday, McSkimming wouldn’t come to the door.

However, a relative did, and confirmed McSkimming was on leave, but didn’t want to comment about why that was.

McSkimming later declined to comment when contacted by phone.

Officials were also tight-lipped.

In response to a series of questions from Stuff, a police spokesperson said police were “not in a position to comment on any active investigation”, a line repeated by public sector watchdog the Public Service Commission.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said it would be “inappropriate” to comment while “investigations are underway”.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) said the police watchdog “will not be making any comment at this time”.

According to the police’s website, McSkimming, 51, started his career as a police officer in Auckland in 1996.

Since then, he has risen through the ranks, leading “substantial change management in large complex departments”, the website says.

Before he was appointed to the statutory Deputy Commissioner role, he was an Assistant Commissioner, and prior to that the police’s Chief Information Officer.

Chambers was announced as the new Police Commissioner last month - a role he and McSkimming had gone head to head for.