Establish an Independent Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand Police

The Public Service Commission’s April 2026 Performance Improvement Review painted a stark picture of a Police force facing an integrity crisis. It identified a culture of “tribalism” among senior leadership, perceptions of a two-tier justice and complaints system, and organisational practices that have failed both staff and the public. 

The review makes clear that Police leadership must deliver a generational shift in culture by embedding accountability and zero tolerance for misconduct from the front line through to the executive. Without sustained, independent oversight, this review will become another report that sits on the shelf while public trust declines.

For almost 20 years, independent reviews have identified the same fundamental issues. From the Bazley Commission review in 2007, to the Public Service Commission’s 2026 review, Police culture has too often placed loyalty above integrity, discouraged staff from speaking up, and failed to hold senior officers to the same standards of those they lead. While some progress has been made, the underlying cultural problems remain unresolved.

My own experience reflects many of these systemic concerns: 

Since lodging an 89-page crime report in January 2021, I have experienced repeated failures of accountability including blocked complaints processes, ignored escalations all the way up to and including the Commissioner, misleading information, and conduct inconsistent with Police’s stated values of empathy, integrity, professionalism and respect. While my case is only one example, it reflects the same systemic failures identified repeatedly by independent reviews over the past two decades.

For more information on my appalling Police experience, please visit: https://realnzpolice.com/intro/