Three new police Assistant Commissioners have been provisionally appointed and will begin their roles in February.

They are Superintendents Jeanette Park (Eastern District Commander), Corrie Parnell (Wellington District Commander) and Tim Anderson (Bay of Plenty District Commander).

The appointments follow Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett being confirmed as the statutory Deputy Commissioner.

The trio have led some of the largest police operations in New Zealand in recent history.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the appointments “will ensure that from early 2026 we will have a refreshed leadership team and be well-placed to deliver on our core priorities”.

“Jeanette, Tim and Corrie all have significant operational experience and a strong understanding of the front-line, as well as the communities police serve in. They will bring different perspectives and experience to the wider team.”

Park, the Eastern District Commander since 2020, has overseen major operations including Operation Kotare to disrupt organised crime and gang harm, Chambers said.

She started her policing career in Papakura, South Auckland, in 1991 and has worked in several districts in a range of roles from criminal investigation branch and road policing to prevention manager.

In 2005 she was awarded the Bravery Star for her actions in a 2002 critical incident in rural Manawatū in which her colleague Detective Constable Duncan Taylor was shot and killed, and Park was also shot and seriously wounded, Chambers said.

Parnell, who has been in his current role since 2019, first joined the police in 1993.

He has extensive experience in cross-agency emergency management and as District Commander, led multi-agency responses to some of the largest public order operations in police history, including the 2022 Parliament protests and the 2024 Hīkoi mō e Tiriti, facing high levels of public and political scrutiny, Chambers said.

Anderson has held a range of roles across Auckland and Bay of Plenty, including leadership roles across major investigations and prosecutions, since he joined police in 1994.

Bay of Plenty District Commander since 2022, Anderson has had a focus on serious crime investigations, including adult sexual assault and child protection matters, Chambers said.

In 2019, Anderson was the lead Senior Investigating Officer based at police national headquarters in the investigation into the Christchurch terror attacks.

He was also appointed by the Commissioner to lead the police team response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the attacks.

Chambers said he expects to appoint a second, non-statutory, Deputy Commissioner early in 2026.