Coster resignation ‘not surprising’ says Police Assn

Tuesday, 24 September 2024

Outgoing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster will head up the Government’s renewed Social Investment Agency.

On Tuesday morning, the Public Service Commission announced Coster had been appointed secretary of Social Investment.

“He comes to the job uniquely qualified. He is strategic. He's intelligent,” said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Acting Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott said Coster was a proven leader with experience advising ministers and had a “deep understanding of the challenges ahead”.

“He is a highly respected and impressive public service leader who has considerable experience delivering initiatives to address complex social issues,” she said, in a statement.

Coster will start his role at the Social Investment Agency on November 11, having finished up with the police on November 8.

As secretary, Coster will be the lead advisor to the Government on social investment, a hallmark National Party policy.

The agency, first created by Prime Minster Bill English but diminished under Labour, has been recast by Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis as a central agency – sitting alongside the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury and new Ministry of Regulation – and given a renewed mandate.

The idea behind social investment is to use the wealth of government data to more discrete, targeted welfare spending and social interventions, to achieve better and less costly results.

Coster became Police Commissioner in 2020 and in July confirmed he would not be renewing his five-year contract, due to end in early 2025.

Coster had an extensive career in police, including in senior leadership and commander of an armed offenders squad, spent two years as a deputy chief executive at the Ministry of Justice, and was briefly a solicitor at law firm Meredith Connell.

But his appointment to commissioner under the Ardern Government, and his comments about the policing philosophy of “policing by consent”, also made him something of a political punching bag. In 2021, then-National justice spokesperson Simon Bridges called him a “wokester”.

After the National-coalition Government was elected in 2023, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he had disagreed with the direction policing had taken under Labour, and wrote Coster a letter setting out his “expectations”.

Despite all this, Luxon said Coster had done “an exceptionally good job” in his commissioner role.

“We came in as a new Government 10 months ago, had a clear set of expectations, and I have to say, you know, Andrew Coster has done an exceptionally good job.

“If you think about taking out the Commancheros, you think about what he's done about putting beat police out there … going after boy racers, you know, he's done an exceptionally good job. So … he is someone that we really value and really respect. He's worked in justice.

“He's worked in police. He understands a lot of what are some of the causes or some of the challenges, social challenges.

“We are determined to make sure that social investment moves from theory into actual action.”

Mitchell declined to comment on Coster’s departure from police, but afterwards, on social media, congratulated the outgoing commissioner and thanked him for his service.

“He has served with integrity, and with his background and experience I know he will do an outstanding job leading the Social Investment Agency.”

Willis also declined to comment, but said Coster was “an exceptional individual who has the capacity to do a number of things”.

For Police Association president Chris Cahill, news of Coster’s resignation wasn’t entirely surprising.

“It’s certainly come quicker than we’d imagined but he’d already clearly signalled he’d be moving on in April so I don’t think anyone is blindsided that he’s brought that forward,” Cahill told The Post.

Looking back at Coster’s tenure as Police Commissioner, Cahill said he’d be remembered for his professionalism and willingness to talk and listen to people from all walks of life.

“I have to say, he’s had a very turbulent time. He came into the role during the first week of the first Covid-19 lockdown, which changed the whole focus of the police force and what their role was.

“He’s also had to navigate budget constraints and a change of Government, which has meant it's been a difficult time to get traction on any of his own initiatives.”

Cahill thanked Coster for his pushing through of the new tactical support model, which enhanced training and equipment for police officers.

“He made a discernible difference to the safety of our police officers, which we were all pleased to see.”

The key question for the association was who would be replacing Coster – and whether a permanent replacement would be appointed earlier than April.

“I’d presume one of three sworn deputies will act as relieving Police Commissioner, but we’ll need someone permanent as soon as possible.”

Some front line police officers who spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity celebrated Coster’s departure.

“I think he meant well, but policing seems to have become more social work than locking up offenders and holding them accountable. Coster lost the support of his troops years ago,” said a North Island detective.

The detective also hoped Coster“s successor would be able to 'push back when required against the Government and the minister'.

An Auckland police sergeant echoed this detective’s thoughts.

“I believe it will be a good refreshing change and hope that Richard Chambers applies. He’ll be good for the clamping down side of things.

“Coster was picked by Jacinda Ardern, and that shows with the soft on crime approach. We need someone similar to [former commissioner] Mike Bush to come back sooner rather than later.”