'No direction' to lower standards for police recruits - commissioner

The Police Commissioner says there was "no direction or order" to drop standards in order to fulfil a coalition promise and recruit 500 more police officers.

Richard Chambers said, once he knew "discretion" had been applied, he made it clear that graduating police officers must still meet standards.

Both Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell fronted a scrutiny hearing today – a chance for MPs to grill ministers on this year's Budget decisions.

Findings from an audit into recruitment standards at the Royal New Zealand Police College found a significant number of applicants were allowed into the college, despite failing preliminary tests.

The Police College sometimes gives discretion to recruits who fall short of certain standards, although they must still pass the tests before graduating, but the audit found this had become increasingly common.

The findings prompted Police Commissioner Richard Chambers to instruct the college not to accept anyone who hasn't met all mandatory recruitment standards.

Just last month, a review found more than 300 police officers were not assessed on their swimming abilities before graduating, leading to the audit.

Those recent recruits had undergone assessments retrospectively, and it was announced that police would review the swimming training policy.

Another issue was a failure by some to meet the literacy standard required before entering Police College.

Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen asked Mitchell in the hearing: "Who gave the order to drop standards at the Police College in order to try deliver the 500 [new police] quicker?"

Mitchell described it as an operational matter, but as minister, his view was that there were no specific orders "ever" to drop standards. He blamed the previous government and had previously said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the priorities set by the previous government around recruiting contributed to this."

He said there may have been a change in the approach taken, but under this government, "we've been very clear what our expectations are, and that is that there will be no reduction or change in standards".

Mitchell added that, when it came to recruiting, the Commissioner and his statements had been "unambiguous" about his expectations.

Chambers added the minister was correct - "there was no direction or order" - but once he was made aware that "discretion" had been applied on different standards and expectations, he made it clear those standards needed to be met.

"I've been very clear about under my commissionership, we have standards that we will meet and, if some people need to do some extra work before they join New Zealand Police, then that's up to them to do."

Going forward, he said he was very clear "we do have expectations of standards".

Mitchell emphasised the recruits who failed preliminary tests did so before attending police college and, under the commissioner's direction, that would no longer happen.

"Now there is no discretion around those standards," he said.

"They'll meet the standard before they go to the college, but once they're at the college, they have to meet the standard before they graduate."

rnz.co.nz