Surf Wiki
Save to docs
geography/new-zealand

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)

Head of the New Zealand Police

Head of the New Zealand Police

FieldValue
postCommissioner of Police
insigniaNew Zealand Police OF-8.svg
insigniasize80px
incumbentRichard Chambers
incumbentsince25 November 2024
imageRichard Chambers 2019 (cropped).jpg
inauguralGeorge Stoddart Whitmore
websitehttps://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/commissioner-and-executive
appointerGovernor General on the advice of the prime minister
reports_toMinister of Police
termlengthNo longer than 5 years
salaryNZ$670,000

Tania Kura & Chris De Wattigner The commissioner of police is the head of the New Zealand Police and the position is currently held by Richard Chambers. The commissioner is appointed for a term not exceeding five years by the governor-general, and reports to the minister of police. The position combines two functions, that of chief constable in charge of policing and cases, and chief executive responsible for assets and budgeting. The rank insignia is a sword and a baton crossed over each other with a St Edward's Crown above. In military terms, the rank is equivalent to lieutenant general.

History

The Police Force Act 1886 split the police from the earlier body known as the New Zealand Armed Constabulary, which had performed both civil policing functions as well as being the standing army and militia, on 1 September 1886. Sir George Whitmore was appointed as the first commissioner, reporting to the Minister of Defence. Early commissioners came from the United Kingdom with military or law enforcement experience, such as Walter Dinnie, who had served as an Inspector at Scotland Yard.

On 20 November 2024, Police Minister Mark Mitchell announced that Richard Chambers would be appointed as the new commissioner of police. Commissioner Chambers took over the position on 25 November 2024, replacing Andrew Coster who had left the role on 11 November 2024. New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill has said Richard Chambers was a “popular choice” among police staff.

Between the resignation of Andrew Coster on the 11 November 2024 and the appointment of Richard Chambers on the 25 November 2024 the first ever female commissioner of police, Tania Kura, was appointed for an interim term of 14 days.

According to the Public Service Commission, from 2021 to 2024 then commissioner of police, Andrew Coster, received a yearly salary of $670,000, making him tied for the sixth-highest pay among public sector leaders.

List of commissioners

#ImageNameTerm of officeNotesStartEnd1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435
[[File:George Stoddart Whitmore.jpg60px]]Sir George Stoddart Whitmore1 September 188631 December 1886Hill1995p=8}}
[[File:Walter Edward Gudgeon.jpg60px]]Major Walter E. Gudgeon5 January 1887June 1890url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&srpos=172&cl=search&d=WH18870106.2.27title=Volume XXI, Issue 6113date=6 January 1887publisher=Wanganui Heraldpages=Page 3access-date=2008-10-04}}
Lt. Col. Arthur Hume1 July 18901897id=2H55title=Hume, Arthur 1838–1841? – 1918last=Crawfordfirst=J. A. B.accessdate=2008-10-05}}
John Bennett Tunbridge21 October 18971903url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&srpos=245&cl=search&d=OW18971021.2.106.5title=Volume 21, Issue 2277date=21 October 1897publisher=Otago Witnesspages=30access-date=2008-10-04}}
Walter DinnieJune 190322 December 1909hdl=10063/351title=Czar Cullen: Police Commissioner John Cullen and Coercive State Action in Early 20th Century NZlast=Derbyfirst=Markyear=2007publisher=Victoria University of Wellingtondoi=10.26686/wgtn.16934698.v1url=http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/351}}
Frank Waldegrave (acting, undersecretary of Justice)December 19091912
John Cullen19 April 191223 November 1916url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&srpos=188&cl=search&d=GRA19120420.2.35.1title=New Commissioner of Policedate=20 April 1912publisher=Grey River Arguspages=Page 5access-date=2008-10-04}}
[[File:John O'Donovan.jpg60px]]John O'DonovanDecember 19161921
Arthur Wright1 January 192231 January 1926
[[File:William Bernard McIlveney.jpg60px]]William McIlveney (first New Zealand born)1 February 192630 June 1930
[[File:Ward George Wohlmann 1912.jpg60px]]Ward Wohlmann1 August 193030 June 1936
Denis Joseph Cummings1 July 193631 October 1944id=4C45title=Cummings, Denis Joseph 1878 – 1956; Cummings, James 1885 – 1976last=Dunstallfirst=Graemeaccessdate=2008-10-05}}
James Cummings1 November 194415 April 1950
Bruce Young (died in office)4 April 195028 December 1952
Eric Compton11 March 195318 April 1955
Samuel Barnett (Controller General)16 May 19551958
Willis Spencer Brown1 December 19581961
Leslie Spencer1961May 1967McGill1992p=121}}
Colin UrquhartMay 1967≥ 1969
Sir Angus Sharp1974
Ken BurnsideOctober 1974mid 1978
Bob Waltonmid 19784 November 1983
Ken Thompson5 November 1983January 1987url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860923.2.19title=New police head nameddate=23 September 1986work=The Presspage=2access-date=21 November 2024via=PapersPast}}
Malcolm ChurchesJanuary 1987April 1989url=http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/1105.htmltitle=Police Remembrance Daydate=26 September 2003publisher=New Zealand Policeaccess-date=2008-10-07}}
John JamiesonApril 1989? 1993
Richard Macdonald19941996
Peter Doone1 July 199625 January 2000
Rob Robinson200018 December 2005url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/694861title=Police commissioner nameddate=4 April 2006publisher=TVNZaccess-date=2008-10-04}}
Steve Long (acting)December 20054 April 2006
[[File:Gg-oct19-crimestoppersowen Howard Broad (cropped).jpg60px]]Howard Broad4 April 20063 April 2011url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/gallery/new+police+commissioner+appointedtitle=New Police Commissioner appointeddate=4 April 2006publisher=New Zealand Governmentaccess-date=2008-10-04}}
[[File:Peter Marshall CNZM (cropped).jpg60px]]Peter Marshall4 April 20112 April 2014
[[File:Mike Bush 2018.jpg60px]]Mike Bush3 April 20142 April 2020{{cite webtitle=Statement from Deputy Commissioner Operations, Mike Bushpublisher=New Zealand Policedate=25 February 2014access-date=2 May 2014}}
[[File:Andrew Coster at Government House (cropped).jpg60px]]Andrew Coster3 April 202010 November 2024
Tania Kura (interim)11 November 202424 November 2024
[[File:Richard Chambers 2019 (cropped).jpg60px]]Richard Chambers25 November 2024Incumbent

Notes

References

References

  1. "Commissioner and Executive".
  2. "Policing Act 2008 No 72". [[Parliamentary Counsel Office (New Zealand).
  3. (30 November 2010). "Govt appoints new Police Commissioner". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
  4. "Police insignia".
  5. "Insignia of rank". New Zealand Police.
  6. {{harv. Hill. 1995
  7. McCulloch, Craig. (2024-11-20). "Richard Chambers to be announced as new Police Commissioner, RNZ understands".
  8. Sherwood, Sam. (2024-11-20). "New Zealand’s next top cop chosen".
  9. Bradly, Anusha. (2024-10-29). "First ever female Police Commissioner appointed, on an interim basis".
  10. "Commissioner and Executive".
  11. Daly, Michael. (2024-11-21). "How the police commissioner’s salary compares to other public and private sector leaders".
  12. Hill. 1995
  13. (6 January 1887). "Volume XXI, Issue 6113". [[Wanganui Herald]].
  14. (21 September 1889). "Volume XXXIII, Issue 6849". [[North Otago Times]].
  15. (24 June 1890). "Volume XXXIV, Issue 703". [[North Otago Times]].
  16. (1966). "Police – Development of the Service". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
  17. Crawford, J. A. B.. "Hume, Arthur 1838–1841? – 1918".
  18. {{harv. Hill. 1995
  19. (21 October 1897). "Volume 21, Issue 2277". [[Otago Witness]].
  20. Derby, Mark. (2007). "Czar Cullen: Police Commissioner John Cullen and Coercive State Action in Early 20th Century NZ". Victoria University of Wellington.
  21. (2 March 1903). "Volume XXXVII, Issue 10887". [[Wanganui Herald]].
  22. {{harv. Hill. 1995
  23. (20 April 1912). "New Commissioner of Police". [[Grey River Argus]].
  24. Young, Sherwood. "Wright, Arthur Hobbins 1861 – 1938".
  25. Dunstall, Graeme. "McIlveney, William Bernard 1867 – 1956".
  26. Dunstall, Graeme. "Wohlmann, Ward George 1872 – 1956".
  27. Dunstall, Graeme. "Cummings, Denis Joseph 1878 – 1956; Cummings, James 1885 – 1976".
  28. Dunstall, Graeme. "Young, John Bruce 1888 – 1952".
  29. Dunstall, Graeme. "Compton, Eric Henry 1902 – 1982".
  30. {{harv. McGill. 1992
  31. {{harv. McGill. 1992
  32. {{harv. McGill. 1992
  33. {{harv. McGill. 1992
  34. (17 July 2008). "Death of former Police Commissioner Bob Walton". New Zealand Police.
  35. (18 July 2008). "Former police commissioner passes away". 3 News.
  36. (17 July 2008). "Former police commissioner dies". [[Otago Daily Times]].
  37. (21 June 1983). "Big reshuffle of top police taking place". [[The Press]].
  38. (23 September 1986). "New police head named". [[The Press]].
  39. (26 September 2003). "Police Remembrance Day". New Zealand Police.
  40. (21 February 1989). "Top police job to deputy". [[The Press]].
  41. {{harv. McGill. 1992
  42. (28 May 1996). "New Commissioner of Police announced". New Zealand Executive Government.
  43. (27 April 2005). "Ex-police commissioner may sue PM". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
  44. (4 April 2006). "Police commissioner named". TVNZ.
  45. (4 April 2006). "New Police Commissioner appointed". New Zealand Government.
  46. (4 April 2011). "New Police Commissioner starts work". [[Stuff.co.nz]].
  47. (9 March 2020). "Police congratulate new Commissioner of Police". [[www.police.govt.nz]].
  48. (29 October 2024). "Tania Kura appointed interim police commissioner". [[www.stuff.co.nz]].
  49. (20 November 2024). "New Zealand's next top cop chosen". [[www.stuff.co.nz]].
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

new-zealand-commissioners-of-police lists-of-new-zealand-people-by-occupation lists-of-chiefs-of-police
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Commissioner of Police (New Zealand) — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report