A good top cop
The Prime Minister has appointed Richard Chambers as the new Police Commissioner. This will be a popular move with frontline police, and I daresay the public. He has significant operational experience.
His police career is:
- Joined 1996 as constable in Avondale
- Became Detective
- Promoted to Inspector
- Police National Headquarters leading the development of strategy and policy
- Appointed Lower Hutt area commander in 2007
- Tasman District Commander
- Acting Southern District Commander
- Auckland District Commander
- Made Assistant Commissioner in 2016 leading investigations, serious and organised crime, including cybercrime, and financial crime
- Then Assistant Commissioner in charge of Northland, Waitematā, Auckland City, Counties Manukau, Waikato and Bay of Plenty Police Districts
- Seconded to Interpol as Director of Organised and Emerging Crime
The Post reports a positive reaction from front-line police, plus the story of how he got his nickname of Felix!
He’s certainly seen action, getting crushed between two cars while rescuing an 18-month old.