Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers fronted a scrutiny hearing this week. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Police Minister's office says the use of discretion over police college recruits who had not passed a literacy test was introduced in 2018 under the Labour government.
It comes after the minister Mark Mitchell and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers were challenged over revelations an Assistant Commissioner personally signed off at least two exemptions from recruitment standards.
Chambers and Mitchell had told MPs at a select committee at Parliament on Monday that there were never any specific orders to drop standards, and that the current administration has been clear what the expectations were.
Chambers knew of the approvals when he told the hearing no one in the executive had said applying discretion was allowed.
Assistant Commissioner signed off on at least two recruits
Police in a written statement confirmed Assistant Commissioner Jill Rogers gave at least two approvals in the past year, and records were being checked to see if there were more.
"As is already accepted, there had been a practice of discretion applied to some applicants to Police College in relation to the Physical Appraisal Test (PAT)," the statement said.
"Assistant Commissioner Jill Rogers can recall two occasions in the last year where she gave approval to be applied to two applicants. There was no directive, instruction, or request issued in relation to this. We are searching available documentation to confirm this number.
"As with other recruits, those two candidates went on to pass all the tests required to graduate as constables.
"The Commissioner has made it very clear no more discretion is to be applied, and that is in place now.
"He has discussed the standards with his Police Executive, and emphasised his very clear expectation that standards will not be dropped for entry to Police College."
Police also confirmed Chambers was told in April about Rogers' approvals - the same month concerns about recruits being admitted for training despite failing physical testing was made public.
Chambers told reporters this week the decisions had been made by "decision makers" involved in the recruitment process and some others at the Police College, but from now on any decisions of "that importance" would sit with him.
Asked whether it was members of the Police Executive who drilled into those decision-makers that using discretion was okay, he said "not that I'm aware of, no".
Chambers on Wednesday rejected the suggestion Rogers' approval could be seen as an order that use of discretion was okay.
"No. Decisions on when to use discretion to allow an applicant to become a recruit without meeting all components of the testing requirements have been made on a case-by-case basis, with regard to a specific individual's circumstances. They do not amount in any way to a general instruction or "order" around the use of discretion," he said.
"There was nothing out of order about Assistant Commissioner Jill Rogers making those decisions at the time, given her role as Assistant Commissioner: Leadership, Talent and Development.
"The cases in question pre-dated my request for the audit on recruitment standards and my instruction for any use of discretion to be halted."
He said the instruction he gave was the result of the audit showing the use of discretion had become "too widespread for my liking", and it had developed "over a period of years that pre-dated my time as Commissioner.
Politicians clash over police recruitment targets
The government committed in its coalition agreements to recruiting 500 more police officers by November - but seems unlikely to meet that target.
Labour's Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said the revelations Rogers was involved raised serious questions about whether political pressure had been applied to the Police College to deliver on that promise.
"It's pretty clear that people at the Police College themselves don't make these types of decisions, there's a hierarchy in police.
"There's been a clear pattern here of recruits not meeting standards and when the government has promised 500 more police it's pretty clear that pressure has been applied to the college and that's not right.
"They've delivered around 30 of 500, and they have until November. It's pretty clear they've failed."
She said the minister had not been upfront about the matter with New Zealanders when he fronted at the select committee.
"He was asked if there was any direction or intervention from the police executive to the college, and he said that there was not to his knowledge. He may wish to revise those words in light of the information that's come to hand.
"This really causes concern whether it might undermine integrity of police."
In a statement, Mitchell's office said a draft report showed "that for the delivery of the 1800 new police target, a discretionary pass was introduced where the literacy assessment standards were not met, which has since become common practice".
"This does raise questions about political pressure."
Labour in 2017 committed to recruit an extra 1800 police officers, marking that milestone in June 2023. RNZ has requested a copy of the draft report the minister's statement refers to.
"We have made very clear on discovering this practice that it does not meet our expectations and Police have responded quickly with the Commissioner directing that the practice be ended," his office said.
"Labour should be upfront with New Zealanders about the mess they created in order to deliver their well overdue and incomplete 1800 new police target, instead of trying to blame this government that had to come in and clean it up."
RNZ sought further comment from Andersen responding to Mitchell's statements. She said the review made it clear "recruits failed physical tests and got through anyway".
"This happened in the past year, under their watch. Mark Mitchell needs to take accountability for his failure to deliver 500 more police."
The audit covers 1022 recruits between January 2024 and April 2025. Preliminary findings showed a significant number of applicants were allowed into the college, despite failing preliminary tests.
Police Association president Chris Cahill has previously said he thought the matter was not a government issue, but an internal police issue.
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