Why the disgraced former police leader still gets a hefty payout

Author: Joseph Los'e,
Publish Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2025, 8:27am

Disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming has walked away from the police with his reputation in tatters - but he will still receive a payout from the Government-backed police pension of at least six-figures.

And depending on the percentage of his annual contribution to the scheme from his wage, he could well walk away with more than $1 million.

McSkimming, 52, joined the police in 1996 and rose through the ranks to almost the pinnacle of the force in 2023 when he was a deputy commissioner.

The job came with a salary of about $500,000, a vehicle and potentially other allowances.

From the time McSkimming was suspended in November 2024 from his $10,000 weekly position up until he resigned in May 2025, McSkimming would have pocketed around $250,000 of his $500,000.

The Prime Minister’s salary is $498,300.

But his career has ended amid controversy after it was revealed he had accessed child exploitation and bestiality images while at work, pleading guilty in early November to three representative charges of possessing objectionable material.

Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming (wearing glasses) is pursued by media after pleading guilty. Photo / Mark Mitchell

His progressive fall from grace now includes calls from Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell for the removal of the service medals he had been awarded.

A damning report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority released earlier this week has also revealed the then highest-ranking police officers in New Zealand ignored anonymous allegations that McSkimming was a sexual predator.

Instead of investigating whether the sex claims could be corroborated or not, the emails sent by the young woman were used by police as evidence to prosecute her for a harassment campaign against McSkimming.

Chambers and Mitchell have both spoken out about how the then leaders’ conduct.

McSkimming will still be eligible for a lucrative payment from the Police Super Scheme (PSS); the police pension that sees New Zealand Police (NZP) making an annual 15.2% contribution the equivalent of an officer’s respective pay to their fund.

The scheme was introduced in 1992 to replace the former Government Superannuation Fund, and McSkimming signed up when he joined the police in 1996.

Given his deputy commissioner’s salary band of around $500,000 the NZP contribution to his fund would have been about $150,000 for each of the two years he had the job.

Prior to being appointed a statutory deputy commissioner, McSkimming was an assistant commissioner from 2017-2020 on a salary around $300,000 per year.

He was promoted to deputy commissioner strategy and service, with another pay rise from 2020 to 2023 then promoted again to one of the two statutory police commissioners’ positions. They are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Police Minister and ultimately Prime Minister. McSkimming and Tania Kura were the second and highest paid.

Their statutory positions also made them No 2 and No 3 to the police commissioner, another statutory appointment.

McSkimming’s promotion announcement on April 17, 2023 was publicly made a day before Kura’s - meaning McSkimming was the superior officer and would be acting commissioner if anything happened to then commissioner Andre Coster, the public service notes of the appointment show.

On top of the NZP annual contributions, police officers can make their own contributions ranging from 0%, 3%, 5% or 7.5% of their annual salary.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers (left to right) and Police Minister Mark Mitchell have spoken out about Jevon McSkimming. Photo / NZME

Given McSkimming’s 29-years’ service to NZP, the police contribution to his pension would be a lucrative six-figure sum.

Members can retire with their police pension when they turn 55.

A spokesperson for Police National HQ said the department would not discuss current or former police officers’ employment issues.

McSkimming was a member of the New Zealand Police Leaders’ Guild up until June 2025.

The guild advocates for senior police staff and also supports them and their families by contributing funding towards various forms of study, education, research, or training.

It said it could not think of any benefit entitlements which would be provided to McSkimming other than the police super fund.

Former police negotiator turned mental health advocate Lance Burdett. Photo / Supplied.

Among former colleagues who have watched on as McSkimming’s once decorated police career fell apart is ex-detective inspector and police negotiator Lance Burdett.

Burdett said he remembered a young McSkimming, who joined police three years after he did.

“I saw him coming through and he did a couple of things then went to Police National Headquarters,” Burdett told the Herald.

“He was a high-flyer who wanted to get to the top. I was able to rise through the ranks fairly quickly, but he passed me and just kept going.

“He was always destined at getting to the top. He was a person with a purpose, and you could see he was driven.”

Disgraced former New Zealand Police Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming (inset) is set to receive a sizeable pension payout. New Zealand Herald composite photo

Burdett said it was only right that Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell were calling for McSkimming to return his long service and good conduct medals.

“They have to do that for integrity’s sake,” Burdett said.

He said it was clear Chambers was a “man of integrity”.

But he also understood why McSkimming would still receive his pension once he turns 55.

“He will walk away with what he has put into the PSS,” Burdett said.

“Based on his salary [it will] be on one of the top pensions.”

Meanwhile, survivor’s advocate Louise Nicholas has congratulated Chambers for showing real leadership during the scandal surrounding McSkimming.

While she said McSkimming’s payout might see him “retire quite nicely”, she too could understand why he would still receive the funds.

“Putting aside what he’s done, he’s entitled to what he’s put in and nothing more than that.”

Sexual violence survivor advocate Louise Nicholas says she understood why Jevon McSkimming would receive his police pension. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Nicholas was instrumental in contributing to a change in the way police respond to crimes of a sexual nature.

In the early 2000s she alleged several police officers of historic rape. While the men charged as a result were later acquitted, the case resulted in a commission of inquiry into police handling of sexual assault complaints.

She said McSkimming’s conviction was pleasing “because it shows you will be held to account - no matter who you are”.

“You will always have bad eggs in police but at least they are not shoving it under the carpet like they used to.”

McSkimming is set to be sentenced in mid-September.

Chambers sent a memo to other police staff three days after his former deputy pleaded guilty to say he had started a process to rescind McSkimming’s medals and clasps.

That included writing to Mitchell to recommend the move.

Mitchell - himself a former police officer - told NZME that McSkimming had disgraced the blue uniform and he backed Chambers call.

“I’m very pleased he’s pleaded guilty because I find this abhorrent behaviour and the right result - no one is above the law,” Mitchell said.

“On becoming police minister, I had some challenges and Jevon McSkimming was one of them.

“He has caused some reputational damage.”

Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and before joining NZME worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.