David Farrar: 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!


Click to view

He’s certainly seen action, getting crushed between two cars while rescuing an 18-month old.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.