Two senior police leaders visited disgraced former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming for the purpose of a welfare check because he was distressed and his wife was “incredibly distraught”, sources have told the Herald.
The revelations come amid “deep fatigue” at senior levels within police where a “hunger games”, adversarial environment prevails, a source said.
Former deputy commissioner Tania Kura and another current leader visited McSkimming after he was charged over possessing objectionable material but before he admitted the offending in court.
A police source said the pair’s decision to visit McSkimming was at the request of his wife and not unusual given the circumstances.
“Tania and [the other leader] visited him strictly as a welfare check – something they’ve both done many times for staff in serious strife. They would have done the same for Commissioner Richard Chambers if it were him, or for any other staff member,” the source told the Herald.
However, Chambers has been highly critical of Kura and the other officer, telling Herald NOW when he found out about the visit he expressed “huge disappointment” in the pair’s actions.
“Lack of judgment, poor decision making. I addressed it with former Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura and one other member of the senior leadership team,” he said.
He said when a person is facing serious criminal charges it “wasn’t wise for any member of police to visit”, and he didn’t think there was any legitimate reason why Kura would do so.
Chambers emphasised that given another leader had delegated responsibility to support McSkimming there was no need for anyone else to offer welfare support.
The Herald’s source said Chambers’ criticism of Kura after he learned of the visit was “the last straw for her” and she subsequently resigned.
“There has been real sadness, anger, and disbelief about what she has been put through. Many feel she has been treated unfairly and that her integrity, decades of service, and reputation have been collateral damage in a much larger internal battle,” the source said.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) was critical of multiple former leaders at police and Chambers has referred to the behaviour as a “cover up” and indicative of a “group think” mentality.
“I firmly believe that’s what we’re dealing with,” he told Herald NOW.
The Herald’s source said while McSkimming was a “deceitful, manipulative individual”, the suggestion that officers like Kura would risk their careers to protect him was ridiculous.
“The fact that anyone would think respected leaders like Kura would put McSkimming ahead of everything they have worked for is mad,” the source said.
The IPCA report into the handling of the McSkimming case shows when Kura confronted McSkimming about allegations of sexual misconduct posted anonymously on LinkedIn in 2023, McSkimming told her it was a situation that had been “going on for years” and the result of a disgruntled woman who was upset their affair had ended.
Kura had only just commenced her role as deputy commissioner alongside McSkimming – also newly appointed to the position – when the LinkedIn post was made.
The IPCA’s report said Kura assumed any problematic matters regarding McSkimming would have been flushed out during the top-secret security vetting both she and McSkimming had to go through prior to getting their roles.
The report said Kura also relied on the fact that other senior police were aware of the issues with the woman and her allegations “for years”.
“Deputy Commissioner Kura nonetheless accepted, as others had done before her, the narrative put forward by Deputy Commissioner McSkimming – that this was a case of a mutually consensual affair, followed by the ‘rantings and allegations’ of a “woman scorned,” the report said.
The IPCA was critical of Kura for not probing deeper into the LinkedIn post, and for too readily relying on the assurances provided by McSkimming and others.
However, its report also raised questions about the thoroughness of the Public Service Commission’s integrity checks that allowed McSkimming to be appointed to the role of deputy commissioner in the first place – a matter Attorney General and Public Service Minister Judith Collins said was being taken “very seriously”.
As far back as 2018, another public Facebook post accused McSkimming of preying on a young woman.
The IPCA itself was tagged in that post but it failed to investigate.
The Herald’s source said morale was low at police and the way the McSkimming fallout had been handled where previous leaders had been so swiftly thrown under the bus hadn’t helped.
“The dominant mood is one of despair, frustration, and deep fatigue. People are worn down by the ongoing fallout and what many describe as an increasingly adversarial, ‘Hunger Games’-style environment at senior levels,” they said.
Asked whether Chambers needed to address lingering issues within the leadership team at police, he said he was focused on moving on.
“We [the senior leadership team] have a big job to do for our country and I’m looking forward to moving forward with my leadership team and our job is to support the men and woman of New Zealand Police who do an incredible job,” Chambers said.
“I don’t want this [the McSkimming scandal] to detract from what they do for our country.”
Recruitment for permanent replacements for McSkimming and Kura is ongoing.
Senior police officers including Jill Rogers, Bruce O’Brien, Mike Pannett and Mike Johnson are believed to be leading contenders for the roles.
Michael Morrah is a senior investigative reporter/team leader at the Herald. He won News Journalist of the Year at the 2025 Voyager Media Awards and has twice been named reporter of the year at the NZ Television Awards. He has been a broadcast journalist for 20 years and joined the Herald’s video team in July 2024.