Police Commissioner's statement to media

First, my announcement last night that I would not be seeking a further term of office.

The length of term of the Police Commissioner is set by statute as five years. My term is up in April next year.

Several months ago I raised the issue with the Minister of Police in the context of discussions around the appointment of the Deputy Commissioner of Police. I indicated that I was not thinking of seeking another term.

Ten days ago I had a further discussion with the Minister in which she again asked me what my intentions were. I indicated that I was firm on not seeking a further term. She thanked me and spoke warmly and positively about the way I have discharged my responsibilities of Commissioner. We discussed matters of process around setting the wheels in motion concerning recruitment of a successor and I subsequently wrote to the State Services Commissioner to that effect.

The statutory length of term of the Commissioner is well suited for this role. It is a highly demanding and very rewarding one. Five years is enough time to maintain a strong focus, make a mark and then move on.

Extensions to Commissioners' terms are rare events. My predecessor, Rob Robinson, had his term extended by two years from June 2005 in order to see the completion of the bulk of the work around the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct. He served 6 months of that extended period.

You have to go back to Commissioner Walton to find another Commissioner who has had an extended term. Bob Walton's term was extended also for two years from December 1981 until the end of 1983.

I 'm proud of the achievements Police have made during my term. I continue to be amazed and proud of the way our staff go about helping keep our communities safe and the often heroic and brave efforts that take place night and day in all manner of difficult and challenging conditions.

Equipping our staff with the right gear for the job has been a high priority of mine. We completed roll out of the SRBA early in my term and approached the introduction of the Taser in a considered and systematic way. It is a less lethal tool which has already proved its worth in the short time it has been fully deployed.

I'm pleased to have overseen the injection of considerably more staff into Counties Manukau. For the first time in my view, that district is appropriately stocked with staff to meet the demands of that particular district while other districts too are well staffed and equipped with sufficient resources to deliver a first class policing service.

The once in 50 year event of the Review of the Policing Act was achieved without controversy and with the unanimous support of all parties in the Parliament - a relatively rare occurrence.

We're now working on a programme of measures under the umbrella of the Policing Act to harness the benefits of the new statute in the years ahead. That will be something my successor will need to be fully engaged in.

Turning now, to the other policing news item of the day. You will have read of this morning's Dominion Post front page story concerning the Police's former National Manager of Professional Standards, Jon Moss.

During 2009 allegations were made to Police that the then Superintendent Moss may have acted with impropriety around influencing another officer several years before in how to respond in an interview about a use of force matter.

The matter was investigated by a senior criminal investigator who determined that there was no case to answer.

Mr Moss resigned from Police in September last year, immediately after allegations were disclosed to Police and he was confronted with them. Had he not resigned an employment investigation would have commenced under the Code of Conduct regime now in place.

Mr Moss as a private citizen sought employment elsewhere, eventually securing employment with the Real Estate Agents Authority. The manner in which he was employed by the REAA is for that organisation to comment on.

It also transpires that either before or after leaving Police Mr Moss may have had a relationship with an official of another agency with links to Police.

The propriety of that relationship has caused disquiet.

As recently as last night, I was advised of information about that relationship which causes me to commence a new criminal investigation.