Senior Police Officer's Downfall Sends Shockwaves Through New Zealand
A sexual abuse case involving one of New Zealand's most senior police officers has provoked public outrage and reignited debates about police power, with former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming facing up to ten years in prison.
Jevon McSkimming, who nearly became the country's top law enforcement official last November, will be sentenced in December after admitting to viewing illegal sexual images, including child abuse material, on his work computer.
Systemic Failures and Attempted Cover-Up
The scandal emerged in August when charges were revealed against McSkimming, though the allegations had been known within police leadership for much longer. Court documents detailed how he viewed thousands of sexual images on police devices during office hours, including numerous illegal images.
The material was discovered while investigators examined separate complaints from a young police staffer, then aged 21, who had an affair with the 40-year-old McSkimming and subsequently accused him of sexual abuse.
A damning report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority this month lambasted senior officers for minimizing the claims against McSkimming as he sought the Police Commissioner role. Instead of properly investigating the woman's allegations, police bosses pursued her for online harassment of McSkimming and other officers.
"The way her complaints were handled should alarm all New Zealanders," said the woman's lawyer Steven Lack on Tuesday. "It suggests that the police were more focused on protecting Mr. McSkimming's career and advancement than on properly assessing serious allegations of offending against him."
Echoes of Past Police Misconduct Scandals
The case has evoked painful memories of previous police sexual misconduct in New Zealand, particularly the high-profile case involving survivor advocate Louise Nicholas two decades ago.
"It was like deja vu," Nicholas said on Tuesday. "I was so saddened to see and hear, God, we're going through this again."
Nicholas became a household name after campaigning to see police officers convicted of raping her from age 13. Though prosecutions ended in mistrials or acquittals, the case led to nationwide protests and a 2007 report that found widespread failures in police handling of sexual violence complaints.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the McSkimming case as a "big hit to integrity and trust for the police" in comments to 1News on Monday, acknowledging that rebuilding public confidence "won't be simple."
The watchdog report made over a dozen recommendations, all accepted by police and government. The government has announced the appointment of an independent Inspector-General of Police to provide enhanced oversight.
Several police bosses criticised in the report have left the force, with two high-ranking officers at other public agencies placed on leave and others facing internal investigation.
