Mike Pannett: New Deputy Police Commissioner on his appointment to the role following the McSkimming fallout

Newly minted Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Pannett says he's up for the challenge as he starts the job.  

His predecessor Jevon McSkimming was given nine months home detention yesterday, for possessing objectionable material. 

Pannett told Heather du Plessis-Allan the reputational damage from McSkimming is something police need to take into account.  

He says policing is even more complex and dynamic now than it has been in the past, and there’s some big challenges ahead of them. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jevin mcskimming has faced this punishment in court. He was
sentenced to nine months home detention. His replacement has also
been announced. It's Mike Pennett, who's now the Deputy Commissioner,
who was most notably the National Commander during the twenty
nineteen christ Church terror attack response, and he's with us Morning.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Mike, Good morning, Heather, Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
A lot of people were surprised what with what we
would consider to be a fairly light sentence handed down
to mc skimming yesterday.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Will you that's a matter for the courts, Heather, And
you know it's very much with the courts to determine
without knowing any other detail.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
Do you think it's possible that the courts and the
public have parted ways on what we consider to be
appropriate punishments.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah. Once again, either it's one that probably on better
not to comment on and something for the judiciary and
the public sview.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Do you think, Mike, that you guys have got your
hands I mean, coming into the job, do you feel
like you've got your work cut out for you with
all of the stuff that's going on at the moment reputationally.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, and looking that that was part of taking the
role on. There's some big challenges ahead of us, and
policing is even more complex and dynamic than it has
been in the past. I'm up for that challenge. But
the commitment to work with the Commissioner in over fifteen
thousand of our staff is really important.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
What do you reckon's the biggest problem facing us crime
wise in the country.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
I think crime wise is actually the influence of transnational
organized crime, but how it radiates outwards into organized crime
that are affecting so many different areas of the country
in often innocuous ways. But for the likes of cyber fraud,
just how it impacts it right across the country.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, listen, I see that in Australia they are talking now.
This isn't the wake of BONDI they're talking now about
putting the kibosh on any kind of protests, you know,
Palestinian related protests. Would we take a similar.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Approach, Well, that's very much a matter for the government.
But New Zealanders a very open and transparent society, and
I think that society I would want to keep those values,
the ability of free speech, and I think that's supportant
for US as a country.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Thank you, Mike. You look after yourself and enjoy the job.
That's Mike Pennett, Deputy Police Commissioner. For more from the
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