“We asked police to reconsider and undertake a criminal investigation, as the complaint suggested a criminal offence, but they did not,” the IPCA said.
“Police progressed their employment process for the recruit and upheld the allegations made against him as serious misconduct. The authority wrote to police stating that, while we agreed with their finding and outcome for the employment process, we did not agree with the decision not to undertake a criminal investigation.”
Police then began a criminal investigation into the complaint.
“We oversaw this investigation. Police found there was insufficient evidence to establish a criminal offence. In our view, police conducted the criminal investigation appropriately, and we agree with the conclusion reached.
“During the criminal investigation, police identified another complainant who alleged that the same recruit showed this recruit pornographic material. Police assessed this incident as part of the criminal investigation and found insufficient evidence of criminal offending.”
A further employment process was then carried out, and the recruit resigned before it was completed.
“Nonetheless, police concluded their investigation and did not uphold the further allegations.
“Contrary to agreed process, police only informed the authority of the outcome after police finalised matters with the recruit. We were therefore not provided with an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed police finding.”
Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said in a statement to RNZ that, in 2025, a female recruit who was training at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) in Porirua came forward to report inappropriate behaviour by a male recruit after an incident that occurred off-duty and not on police premises.
“Police undertook an assessment of this complaint, and a confidential employment process was commenced, finding some of this behaviour was upheld and amounted to serious misconduct.
“Police also referred the matter to the IPCA and, following their review, self-initiated a criminal investigation alongside our employment process.”
Johnson said the criminal investigation found insufficient evidence to prove the incident constituted a criminal offence.
“During the criminal investigation, another alleged incident with some similarities but with less serious allegations was brought to our attention, involving the same male recruit. Police carried out an additional employment process for this matter, but ultimately these allegations were not upheld.”
Johnson said police wanted to acknowledge the female recruit, who is now a police officer, who came forward to report behaviour that was “contrary to both our values and the standard the public would expect of any police employee”.
- RNZ
