Richard Chambers: Police Commissioner on the Police targets to improve public trust and confidence

Confidence from the Police Commissioner that New Zealanders don't see police any differently in the wake of the McSkimming scandal. 

Richard Chambers has announced four new targets, which include restoring public trust and confidence to 80%. 

It follows the IPCA's recent and scathing report into how serious allegations against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming were addressed.  

Chambers told Mike Hosking people understand the blame lies with former leaders. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we have a reset of sorts for the police
out of the mix skimming mess. Our new goals are
being issued eighty percent of us having trust and confidence,
eighty percent satisfaction with officer service, and a fifteen percent
reduction in both public violence and retail crime. So police
are looking to achieve this over the next twelve to
twenty four months. Richard Chambers as the Police Commissioner and
his weathers good.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Morning, Good morning, Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
The goal specifically in a moment, but how much time
of your time are you spending currently cleaning up what
we would loosely call this mess?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
So too much time, Mike. The important issues to deal with.
As I've said since the IPCO report, we've got to
get it right and make sure this never happens again.
But yes, it's meant that some of the focus that
I've wanted in the latter part of this year is
to shift to every next year while we work through
the issues that have been identified.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
So the eighty percent of us having trust and confidence,
where's it sit currently and how hard is that data?
And how do you find out what it is?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, well, look we've been at eighty percent before some
years ago, but sitting at the moment around about seventy percent,
So we have seen a slide increase over the last
twelve months, which is great. I know that we can
do it. Trusting confidence matters, and eighty cents aspirational, but
I'm determined to get there.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
And how do you measure satisfaction?

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Will We do a number of surveys with people who
have interactions with police and all sorts of different circumstances.
So we'll continue to use those surveys to better understand
how we're going and where we need to make improvements.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
And so the difference is the eighty percent is perception.
I guess the fifteen percent reduction in public violence and
retail crime, that's very specific. Do we still have a
major problem with violence and retail crime?

Speaker 2 (01:35):
No, Look, we have made huge progress this last twelve months.
I've made a priority for us to focus on retail crime.
We're making great in roads. The fifteen percent is about
increasing resolution, so that means holding offenders accountable, and we're
seeing some great results around the country. Districts are certainly
leaning in and doing their best to address retail crime.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
As regards sorry, as regards confidence. Post this whole sham,
mixed Gimming and co if. I suggested to you that
most New Zealanders think no differently of the police because
of this specific set of circumstances. Would you agree broadly.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Or not absolutely agree with you, Mike. That's the feedback
that I'm getting from across communities in New Zealand is
that they appreciate. This comes down to a group of
former leaders of New Zealand. Polace, not the fifteen thousand
outstanding mean a woman who do a great job day
and night. They understand that, and that's comforting actually, because
our work continues. We do do an incredible job for

(02:31):
New Zealand, and New Zealand does and I don't want
that to change or the events of the IPCO report
to impact on the trust and confidence and the people
that I lead.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
All right, go well, appreciate it. Richard Chambers, the Police Commissioner.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
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