The Government has announced Richard Chambers will become the new Police Commissioner.
The appointee, a three-decade veteran of the police force, will take over from Andrew Coster, who started a new job at the Government’s Social Investment Agency last week.
Chambers is currently a police assistant commissioner, but has been on secondment since February to Interpol in France in the role of director for organised and emerging crime
Speaking at the announcement, the new top cop said he was focused on “core policing”, “better supporting the frontline”, police leadership and fiscal management.
He said taking the job would be a “highlight” of his life.
“It is good to be home. New Zealand has always been my home, and to be able to come back and be with my family here, to be with my colleagues, is special for me,” he said.
“To lead the organisation that I’ve been a part of for nearly 30 years is something that is perhaps the highlight – one of the highlights of my life so far.”
Chambers’ candidacy for the role was favoured by frontline beat officers, RNZ reports.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said his pick has been a “highly respected leader with a deep understanding of frontline policing.
“His operational experience and proven record of delivering effective change in complex and challenging operational environments, will be a major asset as we continue to deliver on our law and order programme,” he said.
Chambers has been appointed for five years from next Monday, replacing Coster, who resigned from the role in September.
The Commissioner of Police is appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Chambers first joined the New Zealand Police in 1996 as a beat officer in Auckland’s Avondale. He rose through the ranks, becoming a detective and an area commander.
The veteran cop was promoted to police assistant commissioner in 2016, leading investigations into organised crime, including cybercrime, and financial crime.
He was also tasked with co-leading the organisation’s Covid-19 response and took a prominent role in helping lead the police response to the 2022 Parliament occupation
Chambers’ appointment comes as the Government focuses on delivering its law and order promises, which it heavily campaigned on during last year’s election.
When he first became minister, Mitchell “reset” policing expectations in a letter to police.
He wrote in a letter to Coster in December: “I have been open about the fact I do not agree with the direction policing has taken under the previous Government and I expect the Police Commissioner to focus on core policing with a back-to-basics approach.”
