Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
A scathing report by the police watchdog has found serious misconduct at the highest levels of police including former Commissioner Andrew Coster over how police responded to accusations of sexual offending by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.
The allegations arose from an affair between McSkimming and a woman who was a non-sworn police employee at the time.
Read the full IPCA report here
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report says when police did eventually refer the woman's claims to the authority, several months after it was recommended they do so, senior police attempted to influence the investigation.
According to a summary of the report: "Those attempts were perceived by some others within police as an attempt to bring the investigation to a rapid and premature conclusion so as not to intersect with the Commissioner appointment process and jeopardise Mr McSkimming's prospects of being appointed as the next Commissioner of Police."
A series of other allegations regarding misconduct by McSkimming have also been revealed ,including that he misused a police credit card, made use of police property to further a sexual relationship, and threatened to provide an intimate visual recording to other people if the woman made a complaint about him.
The IPCA concluded that the current structures and processes to protect the integrity of policing were "inadequate" and have recommended several significant changes.
McSkimming resigned as the country's second most powerful cop in May, amid separate investigations by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and police.
Last week the 52-year-old pleaded guilty to three representative charges of possessing objectionably publications including child sexual
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