Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming resigns before impending sacking

Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming has resigned. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming has resigned after being on suspension for months amid “very serious” allegations.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell today confirmed via a statement that McSkimming has resigned “with immediate effect”.

McSkimming’s legal representative told the Herald he would not comment on his resignation.

The Herald revealed in December that McSkimming, the second-most powerful police officer in the country, was on leave pending separate investigations. The nature of the allegations could not be reported.

Mitchell said McSkimming had resigned before he could be dismissed, revealing Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had been about to consider recommending to the Governor-General to remove McSkimming.

“I instructed the Public Service Commission to commence the process to remove Mr McSkimming from office after allegations of a very serious nature recently came to light, separate to the investigation that led to him being suspended,” Mitchell said.

“The Policing Act is very clear: A Deputy Commissioner of Police must be a ‘fit and proper’ person. They are rightly held to the highest standards of conduct and this new information called into serious question Mr McSkimming’s fitness for office.

“When Mr McSkimming was invited to respond to these allegations he chose to resign. Mr McSkimming’s resignation has confirmed my view that his continuation in the role was untenable.”

The investigations into McSkimming will continue, Mitchell said, adding that he couldn’t provide further detail, citing the investigations.

Speaking at his post-Cabinet press conference, Luxon would not comment on the matter, also citing the investigations.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said he had been advised of McSkimming’s resignation and assured police’s investigation would not be affected.

Chambers offered no further comment.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.