By Bill Hickman of RNZ
This story has updated to clarify that Commissioner Richard Chambers was in uniform when he was pulled over.
After a week of bad news for police, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has admitted he was “away with the fairies” when he was pulled over for speeding last week.
Chambers was delivering a speech to graduating police recruits in Porirua on Thursday when he told the new officers and their supporters he had been ticketed for going over the speed limit.
He told the gathering of recruits, their supporters and police staff getting pulled over was the “dumbest thing I’ve done” as commissioner.
“It’s not something that I’m proud of. Course I wish I hadn’t done it. Oblivious, away with the fairies - none of that’s an excuse - I should know better. It’s the dumbest thing that I’ve done since I’ve been the commissioner of police.”
A damning report released this week by the Independent Police Conduct Authority found serious misconduct at the highest levels, including former Commissioner Andrew Coster, over how police responded to allegations of sexual misconduct by former Deputy Police Commisioner Jevon McSkimming.
Chambers encouraged the graduates to learn from their mistakes.
“I’m still the same person and I will still give my absolute best for my organisation and my country despite those little indiscretions like that.
“You’re no different to me, you’ll make mistakes - but own it, learn from it, be stronger for it and move on,” Chambers told the graduates.
Chambers would later tell RNZ he was clocked going 112km/h as he returned from a ceremony marking the graduation of new patrol dog teams on 6 November.
“I feel terrible about the situation that I put my colleagues in. I apologised on the side of the road. Not my finest work, and I’m sorry.”
Chambers said he would not have made any attempt to get out of the infringement.
“I would never do that. I’m accountable and I’ve said that since the day I was made commissioner of police.”
A police spokesperson said Chambers paid the $80 fine - which had been dropped in his mail box - as soon as he arrived home from the graduation.
They said he was pulled over on State Highway 2 on the Western Hutt Road in a 100km/h zone.
The spokesperson corrected Chambers, and said he was actually recorded as travelling at 111km/h.
They said he was in an unmarked police vehicle but was in uniform.
Associate Police Minister Casey Costello also attended the event, but declined to speak to media.
Chambers was speaking at the graduation of 55 new officers of the No. 389 Recruit wing when he made the admission.
He told RNZ that in the light of revelations of a senior police cover up of allegations of sexual misconduct levelled at McSkimming, the new graduates should focus on good work they would do as police.
“Don’t let these things distract you from that work. That’s what New Zealanders want, that’s what they expect.
“We are dealing with a small group of former, very senior police officers. That’s a disgrace - as I’ve said - It lacks leadership, it lacks integrity.
“I want my new colleagues who have graduated today to focus on their careers, to focus on the work they do in communities. We’ve just got to keep going.”
Chambers said he hoped to meet with the woman who was prosecuted after raising concerns about McSkimming’s behaviour.
“I’ve reached out to her legal counsel and I expressed my apologies on behalf of New Zealand Police for the fact that she was not taken seriously early on when she reached out to police, more than once. I would like to apologise to her face-to-face when it’s appropriate to do so,” Chambers said.
The woman is still facing charges relating to messages she sent to other police staff, despite charges over digital communications sent to McSkimming being dropped.
– RNZ
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.