Hipkins Demands Stronger Police Vetting After McSkimming’s Guilty Plea

New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Labour leader, Chris Hipkins, has called for enhanced police vetting procedures following the guilty plea of former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming for possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material. McSkimming admitted to using police devices, including his work cellphone, to conduct over 5,300 searches for pornographic and objectionable content over a span of four and a half years.

During a press conference on Friday, Hipkins expressed his outrage, stating it was “unacceptable” that McSkimming’s conduct had not been detected during the vetting process prior to his appointment in 2023. This appointment was based on a recommendation from the then-Deputy Public Service Commissioner.

Calls for Change in Vetting Procedures

Hipkins emphasized the inadequacy of the existing vetting process, noting that the advice received during McSkimming’s appointment did not reveal any concerning behavior. “The fact that there was vetting and it didn’t highlight this shows that the vetting was clearly inadequate,” he remarked. His comments come after it was revealed that police leadership had discontinued six-monthly internet usage monitoring reports in late 2020, which could have helped identify inappropriate online activity.

The summary of facts from the case indicated that McSkimming’s first recorded search occurred on July 1, 2020, and the last on December 18, 2024. Of the total searches, approximately one-third were classified as adult or pornographic, with 2,954 objectionable images identified from 432 searches aimed at finding such material.

In response to the shocking revelations, Hipkins stated, “This was going on for four or five years, and it seemed to go below the radar within the police. That shouldn’t have been allowed to happen, so I think there’s a real tightening up that’s needed here.”

Action Taken Following Discovery

Following the discovery of McSkimming’s misconduct, Hipkins promptly raised the issue with Mark Mitchell, the Minister of Police, to discuss McSkimming’s suitability for his role as a statutory deputy commissioner. McSkimming subsequently resigned from the police force, with Hipkins asserting that such behavior has no place in law enforcement.

In light of this incident, Police Minister Mitchell announced a rapid review of the security controls surrounding police devices. He stated that immediate actions were taken to address the identified gaps, including enhanced auditing and monitoring of staff usage of police equipment. Mitchell also confirmed that any staff members found accessing inappropriate material would face disciplinary action.

Mitchell refrained from commenting on specific details related to McSkimming’s case, noting that it is currently awaiting sentencing. He expressed pride in the dedication of New Zealand’s police force, stating, “Individuals who do not uphold the values or display the integrity required to be a member of the NZ Police should be dealt with appropriately.”

The situation highlights the urgent need for a reassessment of police vetting and monitoring practices to ensure that officers meet the ethical standards expected of them. The public’s trust in law enforcement depends on rigorous accountability and transparency, particularly in cases involving such serious misconduct.