Chambers, who is currently Assistant Commissioner, has long been considered a frontrunner for the position and is favoured by frontline police.
His main competition for the job was Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, with both being interviewed for the role late last month.
The appointment comes at the recommendation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, on Mitchell’s advice. The Governor-General will make the official appointment.
Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers. Photo / Mark Mitchell
It is a critical role for the coalition parties, all of which campaigned heavily on law and order, and were at odds with the former commissioner’s approach.
While in opposition, Mitchell vowed to “scrap Labour’s policing-by-consent philosophy, which has been a failure, and encourage a back-to-basics policing model”.
In December, Mitchell issued a letter of expectations to the commissioner, making clear the Government’s focus on cracking down on gangs.
“I expect police to be using the full force of the law and the tools and resources it has available, to significantly disrupt gang and organised crime within communities across New Zealand,” the letter stated.
The position would require “strong and decisive leadership” to overcome significant challenges to law and order, Mitchell wrote.
“My expectation is that that leadership is evident.”
He joined the police in 1996 as a constable in Avondale and quickly rose through the ranks.
A profile on the police website states that he worked on “some fascinating investigations that included an exorcism, a recluse, and a foreign national who travelled the world taking advantage of opportunities using false credentials”.
Having been promoted to detective and then inspector, Chambers was appointed the area commander for Lower Hutt in 2007. After that, he held top roles in the Tasman and Southern districts and then Auckland City.
Chambers was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in 2016, leading investigations into serious and organised crime, and financial crime. He also played a key role during the Covid-19 pandemic, tasked with co-leading the police response.
- RNZ
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