IPCA Report Reveals Failures in McSkimming Investigation Process

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has published a damning report detailing significant procedural failures by senior police regarding the handling of complaints against former Police Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. The investigation uncovered that instead of properly addressing serious allegations made against McSkimming, police authorities pursued legal action against the woman who reported him.

The IPCA’s findings, released on November 11, 2024, highlight what the authority describes as “serious misconduct” and a “total lack of leadership and integrity” from senior police officials. These failures date back to complaints made in 2023 and early 2024. The report comes shortly after McSkimming, aged 52, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024, in the Wellington District Court to charges related to possessing objectionable material, including images of child sexual exploitation and bestiality found on his police-issued devices.

The complaints against McSkimming, referred to in the report as ‘Ms Z’, involved allegations of sexual activity without consent, threats to use an intimate recording, and misappropriation of police property. Rather than investigating these claims, police launched an investigation against Ms Z under the Harmful Digital Communications Act. This charge was only recently withdrawn by the Crown. The IPCA noted that the only investigation initiated focused on potential offences by the complainant, leading to her prosecution.

The report reveals that senior police figures, including then-Commissioner Andrew Coster and two deputy commissioners, failed to act when complaints were raised through various channels, including emails and social media. When the case was eventually referred to the IPCA in October 2024, Coster attempted to influence the scope and timing of the investigation, seemingly to protect McSkimming’s chances of becoming the next police commissioner. Furthermore, he did not disclose his prior knowledge of the relationship during earlier appointment processes.

The IPCA’s report concluded that these missteps “undermined the integrity of the organisation as a whole” and exposed significant flaws in how senior police manage internal integrity risks. The authority emphasized that the usual checks and balances were circumvented, calling for stronger oversight, legislative reform, and clearer accountability for senior-level conduct.

In response to the report, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers apologized to the complainant, stating that the findings illustrated “inexcusable conduct by former senior leaders of New Zealand Police.” He emphasized that the ambitions of a senior officer took precedence over the interests of a vulnerable woman, who was ignored and let down by the system.

Chambers stated that the report’s revelations about “departures from expected processes” made for “appalling reading” and amounted to a failure of leadership at the highest levels. He noted that most individuals involved have since left the organization, and an independent King’s Counsel would oversee any necessary employment investigations.

Chambers confirmed that a comprehensive integrity reform program is underway, which includes enhancements to the National Integrity Unit, revisions to the Police Code of Conduct, and a performance review by the Public Service Commission focusing on integrity and conduct. “The absolute worst outcome would be if anyone felt unsafe reporting sexual assault to police,” he remarked, aiming to reassure the public that this is not the case.

The IPCA has recommended significant legislative and structural reforms to enhance the independence of misconduct investigations, expand its oversight powers, and ensure ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny of future integrity cases. Its report highlighted that while most officers act with fairness and restraint, the failures observed in this case underscore the urgent need for “a sustained plan of action” to rebuild public trust in law enforcement’s ability to act “without fear or favour.”