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Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)

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The Commissioner of Police is the head of the New Zealand Police and the position is currently held by Richard Chambers.[1] The Commissioner is appointed for a term not exceeding five years by the Governor-General, and reports to the Minister of Police.[2] The position combines two functions, that of chief constable in charge of policing and cases, and chief executive responsible for assets and budgeting.[3] The rank insignia is a sword and a rectangular cylinder crossed over each other with a single crown above.[4] In military terms, the rank is equivalent to Lieutenant General.[5]

New Zealand Police Commissioner rank insignia

History

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The Police Force Act 1886 split the police from the earlier body known as the New Zealand Armed Constabulary, which had performed both civil policing functions as well as being the standing army and militia, on 1 September 1886. Sir George Whitmore was appointed as the first commissioner, reporting to the Minister of Defence.[6] Early commissioners came from the United Kingdom with military or law enforcement experience, such as Walter Dinnie, who had served as an Inspector at Scotland Yard.

On 20 November 2024, Police Minister Mark Mitchell announced Richard Chambers who is commonly known by his nickname Felix, will be appointed as the new Commissioner of Police, Richard Chambers took over the position on 25 November 2024 replacing Andrew Coster who left the role on 11 November 2024. New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill has said Richard Chambers was a “popular choice” among police staff.[7][8]

Between the resignation of Andrew Coster on the 11 November 2024 and the appointment of Richard Chambers on the 25 November 2024 the first ever female Commissioner of Police Tania Kura was appointed for an interim term of 14 days.[9][10]

According to the Public Service Commission, from 2021 to 2024 then Commissioner of Police, Andrew Coster received a salary of $670,000, making him tied for the sixth-highest pay among public sector leaders.[11]

List of commissioners

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# Image Name Term of Office Notes
Start End
1   Sir George Stoddart Whitmore 1 September 1886 31 December 1886 [6][12]
2   Major Walter E. Gudgeon 5 January 1887 June 1890 [12][13][14][15][16]
3 Lt. Col. Arthur Hume 1 July 1890 1897 [15][16][17][18]
4 John Bennett Tunbridge 21 October 1897 1903 [16][19]
5 Walter Dinnie June 1903 22 December 1909 [20][21][22]
6 Frank Waldegrave (acting, undersecretary of Justice) December 1909 1912 [20]
7 John Cullen 19 April 1912 23 November 1916 [20][23]
8   John O'Donovan December 1916 1921 [20]
9 Arthur Wright 1 January 1922 31 January 1926 [24]
10   William McIlveney (first New Zealand born) 1 February 1926 30 June 1930 [25][26]
11   Ward Wohlmann 1 August 1930 30 June 1936 [26]
12 Denis Joseph Cummings 1 July 1936 31 October 1944 [27]
13 James Cummings 1 November 1944 15 April 1950 [27]
14 Bruce Young (died in office) 4 April 1950 28 December 1952 [28][29]
15 Eric Compton 11 March 1953 18 April 1955 [29]
16 Samuel Barnett (Controller General) 16 May 1955 1958 [30]
17 Willis Spencer Brown 1 December 1958 1961 [31]
18 Leslie Spencer 1961 May 1967 [32]
19 Colin Urquhart May 1967 ≥ 1969 [32]
20 Sir Angus Sharp <= 1970 1974
21 Ken Burnside October 1974 mid 1978 [33]
22 Bob Walton mid 1978 4 November 1983 [34][35][36][37]
23 Ken Thompson 5 November 1983 January 1987 [37][38]
24 Malcolm Churches January 1987 April 1989 [38][39][40]
25 John Jamieson April 1989 ? 1993 [41][40]
26 Richard Macdonald 1994 1996
27 Peter Doone 1 July 1996 25 January 2000 [42][43]
28 Rob Robinson 2000 18 December 2005 [44]
29 Steve Long (acting) December 2005 4 April 2006 [44]
30   Howard Broad 4 April 2006 3 April 2011 [44][45]
31   Peter Marshall 4 April 2011 2 April 2014 [46]
32   Mike Bush 3 April 2014 2 April 2020 [47]
33   Andrew Coster 3 April 2020 10 November 2024 [48]
34 Tania Kura (Interim) 11 November 2024 24 November 2024 [49]
35 Richard Chambers 25 November 2024 [50]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Commissioner and Executive". New Zealand Police. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Policing Act 2008 No 72". New Zealand Legislation. Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Govt appoints new Police Commissioner". The New Zealand Herald. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Police insignia". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Insignia of rank". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
  6. ^ a b (Hill 1995, p. 7)
  7. ^ McCulloch, Craig (20 November 2024). "Richard Chambers to be announced as new Police Commissioner, RNZ understands". RNZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  8. ^ Sherwood, Sam (20 November 2024). "New Zealand's next top cop chosen". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  9. ^ Bradly, Anusha (29 October 2024). "First ever female Police Commissioner appointed, on an interim basis". RNZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Commissioner and Executive". New Zealand Police. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  11. ^ Daly, Michael (21 November 2024). "How the police commissioner's salary compares to other public and private sector leaders". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  12. ^ a b (Hill 1995, p. 8)
  13. ^ "Volume XXI, Issue 6113". Wanganui Herald. 6 January 1887. pp. Page 3. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  14. ^ "Volume XXXIII, Issue 6849". North Otago Times. 21 September 1889. pp. Page 2. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  15. ^ a b "Volume XXXIV, Issue 703". North Otago Times. 24 June 1890. pp. Page 2. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  16. ^ a b c McLintock, A. H. (ed.) (1966). "Police – Development of the Service". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 5 October 2008. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ Crawford, J. A. B. "Hume, Arthur 1838–1841? – 1918". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  18. ^ (Hill 1995, p. 14)
  19. ^ "Volume 21, Issue 2277". Otago Witness. 21 October 1897. p. 30. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  20. ^ a b c d Derby, Mark (2007). Czar Cullen: Police Commissioner John Cullen and Coercive State Action in Early 20th Century NZ (Thesis). Victoria University of Wellington. doi:10.26686/wgtn.16934698.v1. hdl:10063/351.
  21. ^ "Volume XXXVII, Issue 10887". Wanganui Herald. 2 March 1903. pp. Page 6. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  22. ^ (Hill 1995, p. 256)
  23. ^ "New Commissioner of Police". Grey River Argus. 20 April 1912. pp. Page 5. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  24. ^ Young, Sherwood. "Wright, Arthur Hobbins 1861 – 1938". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  25. ^ Dunstall, Graeme. "McIlveney, William Bernard 1867 – 1956". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  26. ^ a b Dunstall, Graeme. "Wohlmann, Ward George 1872 – 1956". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  27. ^ a b Dunstall, Graeme. "Cummings, Denis Joseph 1878 – 1956; Cummings, James 1885 – 1976". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  28. ^ Dunstall, Graeme. "Young, John Bruce 1888 – 1952". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  29. ^ a b Dunstall, Graeme. "Compton, Eric Henry 1902 – 1982". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  30. ^ (McGill 1992, p. 100)
  31. ^ (McGill 1992, p. 109)
  32. ^ a b (McGill 1992, p. 121)
  33. ^ (McGill 1992, p. 136)
  34. ^ "Death of former Police Commissioner Bob Walton". New Zealand Police. 17 July 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  35. ^ "Former police commissioner passes away". 3 News. 18 July 2008. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  36. ^ "Former police commissioner dies". Otago Daily Times. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  37. ^ a b "Big reshuffle of top police taking place". The Press. 21 June 1983. p. 3. Retrieved 21 November 2024 – via PapersPast.
  38. ^ a b "New police head named". The Press. 23 September 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 21 November 2024 – via PapersPast.
  39. ^ "Police Remembrance Day". New Zealand Police. 26 September 2003. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  40. ^ a b "Top police job to deputy". The Press. 21 February 1989. p. 8. Retrieved 21 November 2024 – via PapersPast.
  41. ^ (McGill 1992, p. 183)
  42. ^ "New Commissioner of Police announced". New Zealand Executive Government. 28 May 1996. Archived from the original on 29 May 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
  43. ^ "Ex-police commissioner may sue PM". The New Zealand Herald. 27 April 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  44. ^ a b c "Police commissioner named". TVNZ. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  45. ^ "New Police Commissioner appointed". New Zealand Government. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  46. ^ "New Police Commissioner starts work". Stuff.co.nz. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  47. ^ "Statement from Deputy Commissioner Operations, Mike Bush". New Zealand Police. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  48. ^ "Police congratulate new Commissioner of Police". www.police.govt.nz. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  49. ^ "Tania Kura appointed interim police commissioner". www.stuff.co.nz. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  50. ^ "New Zealand's next top cop chosen". www.stuff.co.nz. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.

References

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  • Hill, Richard Synyer (1995). The Iron Hand in the Velvet Glove. Dunmore Press. ISBN 0-86469-244-7.
  • McGill, David (1992). No Right to Strike. Wellington, NZ: Silver Owl Press. ISBN 0-9597979-2-0.
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