Criminal investigations are now underway into three New Zealand Police staff members over allegations of “misuse and inappropriate content” linked to police-issued devices, RNZ has learned.
The inquiries follow an internal audit of staff internet activity, prompted by the resignation of former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, who recently pleaded guilty to possessing objectionable publications, including child sexual exploitation and bestiality, over a four-year period. RNZ
Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed that six of the 20 staff currently under investigation have been stood down.
She said the allegations range from potentially accessing objectionable material to viewing inappropriate content while also facing separate misconduct matters.
While some staff may have had legitimate reasons for accessing certain material, Rogers said these claims will be verified during the investigation process.
“Criminal investigations are being conducted into three of the cases,” she said, though police declined to reveal the ranks of those involved.
The investigations are part of a wider audit of staff device usage, which began after the McSkimming case raised concerns about the ability of police personnel to bypass internal controls and access prohibited content.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster previously ordered a rapid review of information security systems, which found major risks in technology configuration, poor visibility of user activity, weak governance, and inconsistent enforcement of internet policies.
The review also highlighted gaps in monitoring, filtering mechanisms, and resource allocation for cybersecurity oversight.
Employment processes are underway for some staff, while others remain in the early stages of investigation. Rogers said police will take appropriate action in every case and noted that criminal charges remain possible depending on the Solicitor-General’s prosecution guidelines.
A police officer was recently stood down after inappropriate — though not illegal — content was discovered on a police-issued device. That case is being handled as serious misconduct.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he had not been briefed on the specific allegations but expected police leadership to act decisively on any inappropriate behaviour uncovered.
The police review called for stronger oversight, better coordination between workgroups, more robust filtering systems, and improved monitoring tools to detect misuse of police technology and ensure accountability across the organisation.
RNZ