Police have cleared Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo of any official wrongdoing, finding that the senior officer followed policy when he told his employer he intended to stand as a Labour candidate at this year's election.
An assistant commissioner has also apologised to Naidoo over a mix-up that led to incorrect information being given to media about when he first flagged his political plans.
The finding, released this afternoon, closes a review ordered in June by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers after Naidoo was named at number 13 on Labour's list.
In a statement attributed to Assistant Commissioner Tim Anderson, police said they were satisfied Naidoo complied with policy when disclosing an intention to stand.
"Police is satisfied that Superintendent Naidoo complied with police policy regarding informing police of his intention to stand as a candidate for the Labour Party, although it would have been prudent for police to have been advised of the discussions at an earlier stage to support Superintendent Naidoo to manage any potential or perceived conflicts of interest and maintain political neutrality," Anderson said.
In June, Chambers had questioned whether Naidoo disclosed his plans early enough, saying he was "very disappointed" and calling it "untenable" for him to continue.
He also said a review would cover meetings Naidoo attended as a senior leader and whether anything "was shared with any third party that should not have been shared".
Anderson said today police were satisfied that correspondence between Naidoo and Labour from his police address "related to his official police duties".
Apology over timing disclosure in June
In an Official Information Act response released today, Anderson said Naidoo had spoken to him a week before he notified the commissioner.
"At the time Superintendent Naidoo had not reached a decision on whether to stand and I therefore treated our conversation as a confidential discussion and did not inform the commissioner of this conversation," Anderson said.
"In hindsight, it would have been helpful for me to have advised the commissioner of Superintendent Naidoo's first approach."
Anderson said he had apologised to both Naidoo and Chambers for the confusion, "which has resulted in incorrect information being provided to media".
Naidoo was carrying out agreed alternative duties until he takes leave at the end of August. Police said he "remains a respected and valued member".
Labour leader Chris Hipkins had backed his candidate throughout, describing Naidoo as "a man of the utmost integrity" and questioning why the commissioner was "publicly entertaining any suggestion" of wrongdoing "without any evidence whatsoever".
Naidoo became the first person from the Asian community to reach the rank of inspector in 2012. He was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2023 for services to police and ethnic communities.
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