Editorial: What do we want from our next top cop?

Police Minister Mark Mitchell (left) will want whoever replaces outgoing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster (right) to be tough on crime.

Editorial

EDITORIAL

The sudden yet not wholly unexpected early departure of Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is the perfect opportunity for us to stop and think about what we want from our police.

The writing was on Coster’s office wall the moment National won power last year.

During their time in Opposition, they had repeatedly accused the top cop of being “soft on crime” - especially at the peak of gang-related shootings, post-Covid ram raids making headlines seemingly on a daily basis, and officers being told not to pursue young joyriders in stolen cars.

Seen as having been hand-picked for the job of top cop by then-Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern in 2020, the former Crown prosecutor was soon stuck with the unfortunate nickname of “Cuddles Coster”.

Simon Bridges called him a “wokester”, while Mark Mitchell - now the Police Minister - found his approach to policing by consent akin to having “cups of tea with a gang member”.

So as Coster steps aside for a new role as chief executive of the Social Investment Agency, there is a chance to reflect on what direction is needed for NZ Police.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is leaving to take up a new role. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Coster was seen as a visionary figure regarding how policing should look in 21st-century multi-cultural New Zealand.

However, many felt his approach was a clunky fit in respect of the demands of public-facing police work and dealing with violent and dangerous offenders.

Many front-line police staff struggled to understand their leader’s big-picture philosophies and he seemed to lose the locker room, especially once National was elected to power.

Two frontrunners appear to have emerged to be the next police commissioner – Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming and Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers.

But whoever wins the race to the top will need to find the right balance between proactive and reactive police work.

They will need to continue to build on the success of Operation Cobalt, launched under Coster in July 2022 to crack down on gangs, which has had some serious recent wins, especially against the Comancheros, an outlaw biker gang.

The spotlight from Mitchell and others in Government will be on pushing for a tough stance on both organised crime and everyday illegal activities.

But there is a fine line to tread here.

Stuart Nash was stripped of his Police Minister portfolio last year after he criticised a judge’s decision and it was revealed he had phoned Coster to discuss whether the case would be appealed.

In 2014, Maurice Williamson resigned as Building and Construction Minister after it was revealed he had contacted police to discuss the prosecution of a constituent and National Party donor, Donghua Liu, who was facing domestic violence charges.

Then-Prime Minister Sir John Key called it a “serious error of judgement”.

It is crucial our police remain independent of political interference and are able to conduct their tasks fairly and impartially.

But whoever is the next police commissioner will need to be seen to be “tough on crime” while ensuring our front-line officers are equipped to operate in modern-day New Zealand and all that entails.