One of New Zealand’s most senior police leaders has fallen dramatically from the top ranks, triggering public fury and reviving painful questions about whether the country’s law enforcement culture has truly changed.
According to The Associated Press, Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, once considered a frontrunner for the nation’s top policing job, is now awaiting sentencing after admitting to charges of possessing illegal sexual images — including child abuse material — on his work computer.
The revelations have stunned New Zealanders, not only because of the severity of the charges, but because senior police figures allegedly downplayed earlier accusations involving McSkimming’s relationship with a young employee.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon didn’t mince words.
“This is a big hit to integrity and trust for the police,” Luxon told 1News on Monday. “It’s got to be built back.”
A blistering watchdog report this month found that senior officers minimized the woman’s allegations as McSkimming interviewed for the commissioner role. Instead of fully investigating her complaints, the report said, police pursued her for online harassment.
The scandal first surfaced publicly in August, when authorities revealed McSkimming faced charges related to thousands of sexual images accessed on work devices during office hours.
Court documents detailed numerous illegal images. He pleaded guilty to some charges earlier this month and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced in December.
The images came to light during an investigation into complaints from a woman who had an affair with McSkimming when she was a 21-year-old employee and he was 40. She accused him of sexual abuse in messages sent to police leaders, politicians, and media outlets.
According to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, McSkimming’s denials were accepted without question by his peers.
The watchdog stated that police leaders attempted to rush the inquiry, fearing it could derail his bid to become Police Commissioner, until lower-ranking officers pushed back.
No charges were filed against McSkimming based on the woman’s allegations, but she was charged with online harassment of McSkimming and other officers. The harassment charge tied to him was dropped this month, though she still faces other counts.
Her attorney, Steven Lack, said Tuesday the case should alarm the entire country.
“It suggests that the police were more focused on protecting Mr. McSkimming’s career and advancement than on properly assessing serious allegations of offending against him,” he said.
For many New Zealanders, the case dredged up memories of earlier scandals involving police misconduct and botched investigations. Survivor advocate Louise Nicholas said the situation felt painfully familiar.
“It was like deja vu,” she said Tuesday. “I was so saddened to see and hear, God, we’re going through this again.”
Nicholas became widely known two decades ago for seeking justice against police officers she said raped her. Multiple trials ended in mistrials or acquittals, and a 2007 report found sweeping failures in how police handled sexual violence complaints.
Nicholas said she believes reforms have improved the system, but stressed the McSkimming case shows the work is far from finished. She also urged prosecutors to drop the remaining charges against the woman who accused McSkimming, saying she had been “tormented” by the process.
The fallout has already reached deep into New Zealand’s police establishment. Several senior officers criticized in the watchdog report have departed or been placed on leave from other public roles. Others face internal investigations.
Public Service Minister Judith Collins pressed on whether the situation amounted to corruption, and gave a biting response.
“If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it’s not looking good, is it?” she said.
Richard Chambers — the officer who ultimately became police commissioner last November — has emphasized his distance from the old guard, saying he has “no friendship” with the previous leadership.
The government and police have accepted all recommendations from the report, including the creation of an independent Inspector-General of Police.
Prime Minister Luxon called the treatment of the young woman “appalling” and “disgusting,” adding, “We’re going to go to the highest possible oversight of police going forward.”
The scandal has left the country questioning not just one man’s conduct, but the culture that allowed it to go unchecked for so long.
