Commissioner Richard Chambers says Jevon McSkimming’s objectionable material charges hurt police reputation

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers spoke with Newstalk ZB's Kerre Woodham on a wide range of issues.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has admitted the serious charges against his former deputy, Jevon McSkimming, have hurt the reputation of police across the country.

Chambers spoke with Kerre Woodham on Newstalk ZB this morning on a wide range of issues, including the ongoing criminal case against the ex-Deputy Commissioner and a recent medical procedure.

McSkimming, 52, faces eight charges of possessing child exploitation and bestiality material.

“Obviously, I can’t really say much ... It’s before the court right now,” Chambers said.

“I will say, obviously, that police people are not above the law, and frankly, rank doesn’t matter. We’re all accountable for the same things.”

Chambers said frontline staff were feeling the heat “quite unfairly” following the allegations against McSkimming.

“I shared a message with all my staff across the country when things were playing out in the media, and I expressed my anger and my disappointment and how let down I felt.

“Our reputation is critically important for trust and confidence internally, externally, and we have so much to be proud of. And when things happen, colleagues, whoever they are, whatever they’ve done, if they let us down, they let us all down.

“When these things emerge in the way that this recent experience has, that impacts on all of us and I really feel for my teams out there.”

McSkimming first appeared in the Wellington District Court in early July, but was granted interim name suppression as well as suppression of his charges.

It can now be reported that he faces eight charges of possessing objectionable material containing child exploitation material and bestiality. Most of the charges have specific dates, while one is listed as the alleged offence having happened any time between July 2020 and December 2024.

Last week, former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster called the criminal case against ex-Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming “a really disturbing situation”.

Herald NOW host Ryan Bridge asked Coster how he felt finding out McSkimming was accused of possessing objectionable material on his work devices.

“Look, obviously it’s a really disturbing situation, but as you would know, I can’t talk about it while it’s in front of the courts, and it would be unfair of me to do that, so we need to let those processes take their course,” Coster replied.

Chambers also had a personal message to listeners, which was to “wear sunscreen”, after he recently had treatment for non-cancerous skin issues.

“Today I’m here and I know the cameras are rolling [and it] looks like something bad’s happened to me, but in fact this is the consequence of running around as a kid in New Zealand without wearing sunscreen.

“I’m just working my way through getting the treatment for my skin so it doesn’t develop into anything worse. But that’s my message to everyone out there, especially the young kids, wear sunscreen.”

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.