Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming has been granted a court order preventing media outlets, including Stuff, from publishing details of the alleged objectionable material found on his work device.
His lawyer, Linda Clark, successfully sought an emergency injunction from the High Court on Friday after Stuff requested comment on the nature of the material.
Initially, the injunction prevented reporting on both the material and the existence of the order.
However, on Monday, Justice Cheryl Gwyn continued the injunction but lifted the suppression of its existence. She also directed the registry to schedule a half-day hearing for the injunction application.
McSkimming, once New Zealand’s second most powerful police officer, had been suspended since December amid an investigation into his conduct.
At the time, reports suggested scrutiny over his behavior toward a former female police staffer.
Last Monday, Police Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed McSkimming had resigned before he could be dismissed, citing new allegations of a “very serious nature” separate from the initial investigation.
Following McSkimming’s resignation, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers announced an independent review aimed at strengthening security measures to prevent the misuse of police devices. “I expect to receive a report outlining opportunities to enhance the security of police systems and defend against attempts to access inappropriate content,” Chambers stated.
Mitchell acknowledged that McSkimming’s resignation could impact public trust in the police but emphasized that swift action had been taken. “The public are savvy enough to know that you are going to have isolated cases of bad behavior, but they also recognize the fact that our police act very quickly to deal with that,” he said.
He reiterated his confidence in the integrity of New Zealand’s police force and assured that leadership accountability remains a priority.
Chambers also reaffirmed that any issue affecting police trust and reputation is taken seriously, regardless of rank or role. “I have also made clear that I expect leadership to be accountable.
The public and my police colleagues can rest assured that very much remains the case,” he stated.
