Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Photo: RNZ/Reece Baker
More than 300 police officers were not assessed on their swimming abilities before graduating, a review has revealed.
The recent recruits will now have to do the assessments retrospectively.
It comes as Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has announced police will review the swimming training policy.
On Wednesday, police confirmed 76 constables who graduated from Wing 383 and 73 from Wing 381 were unable to complete the test while at the college.
Police told RNZ the constables from Wing 383 were unable to complete the test due to health and safety risks posed by the cryptosporidium outbreak across the Wellington region, while those in Wing 381 were unable to take part because the pool was unavailable.
On Saturday, Chambers announced police had reviewed completion rates for the swimming assessment that recruits were expected to undergo as part of their training at the Royal New Zealand Police College.
Since the start of the new 20-week curriculum in January 2024, a further three wings had missed the assessment.
There were now 349 constables who would take the swimming assessment retrospectively.
Chambers told RNZ he was disappointed by the higher number the review uncovered.
"I was very surprised to learn because I have been very clear, both internally in my organisation and externally in the media that my expectation as the Commissioner of Police is that the standards will not change from the high level that they have been for many years.
"So I was disappointed to learn that 349 staff had not completed the swim assessment.
"Out standards, I'm very proud of. We have outstanding people in New Zealand police and I'm not prepared to tolerate any lowering of those standards," he said.
Chambers said he expected swim assessments for all recruits.
"So that is why I have been clear that I have a tight timeframe expectation of four months where all those 349 will complete the assessment so that they understand their strengths and weaknesses, areas of opportunity to work on on the water, at the end of the day we're an island nation."
Chambers told RNZ on Saturday it wasn't clear what the reasons were for the new, higher number.
"I'm not across all the reasons that may have influenced the decisions to not have the assessments... we are looking at the reasons for that," he said.
When the missed tests first surfaced, health and safety risks from a cryptospordium outbreak across Wellington were cited as a reason.
Chambers said he understood issues with finding venues for tests were also a factor.
While it was not currently a pass or fail requirement, Chambers said it was an "important component of preparing to be a police officer".
"The current process will be reviewed to ensure that all recruits are assessed in water skills before they leave the college."
The Commissioner said officers who would now be tested retrospectively would not face any restrictions in their duties beforehand.
He said the public could "absolutely have confidence" in officers' abilities while testing was underway.
"I am proud of the calibre of recruits that we have and am committed to ensuring that the high standards of entry and training for New Zealand police are maintained.
"In this way we will continue to turn out the exceptional police officers that New Zealand is well known for and expects."
Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he welcomed the review of the 2017 swimming training policy change.
"When this policy was changed under the previous government in 2017, I questioned this decision at select committee as I felt it was wrong for a coastal nation like ours, where police officers are often the first to provide assistance to people in the water, to relax the swimming requirements.
"The Labour government at the time was adamant there would be no problem lowering the standard and that water competence would still be met."
Mitchell claimed the previous government's approach had "taken the focus off a swim standard".
"It has become clear that the relaxation of the policy has had the effect of police graduating the College in some cases having not been tested."
Mitchell said police had been working "extremely hard" to recruit against the target of 500 new police officers by November 27.
"As a government we feel strongly that a swimming standard is important for both police and public safety, and in coming into government we supported a return to a 20-week recruit training course, rather than the 16-week in place when we came into government.
"I am extremely proud of our police officers who do outstanding work and deserve to be supported through a comprehensive training programme that includes water safety."
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