Labour's top cop candidate Rakesh Naidoo has declined to fire back at police top brass over their criticism of his move into politics, despite maintaining he did nothing wrong.
By Craig McCulloch of RNZ
Speaking to RNZ for the first time since being recruited by Labour, Naidoo said he would not do anything differently with hindsight, pointing to a police review which cleared him of any wrongdoing.
Quizzed on various law and order issues, he told RNZ he did not believe there was institutional racism in the police force.
Naidoo's candidacy, announced in June, prompted public criticism from Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Minister Mark Mitchell, with both claiming the superintendent should have declared his intentions earlier.
An internal review later concluded that Naidoo had complied with police policy, though noted it would have been "prudent" for him to have given his superiors more advance warning.
Naidoo shrugs off criticism from police top brass
In a sitdown interview marking his entry into the election campaign, Naidoo remained diplomatic about the criticism levelled at him by his superiors.
"In my view, they were expressing themselves based on the information that they had," he said.
"I am grateful that once they looked into it, the review found that I'd follow the right process."
Naidoo said he was also thankful for the apology he received from Assistant Commissioner Tim Anderson, "a man of honesty and integrity".
Asked whether he wanted an apology from Chambers as well, Naidoo said only that he respected the process.
He would not say whether he had been hurt or angered by Chambers' public criticism, nor whether he felt his reputation had been smeared.
Naidoo also declined to repeat Labour leader Chris Hipkins' criticism of Chambers at the time. Then Hipkins said Chambers had been a bad employer for casting aspersions on an officer with "no evidential base behind it".
Naidoo said he was approached by a Labour member in February about the possibility of standing as a list candidate.
Asked why he did not immediately declare that to police at the time, Naidoo said the discussion was "very much a hypothetical".
"I hadn't made any decision. I hadn't formed an intent. It was something that was very hypothetical," he said.
"As soon as I had formed an intent and wanted to make a decision, police were the first to know."
Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo named high on the List for the party, much to the displeasure of Minister Mark Mitchell. (Source: 1News)
Naidoo said he told his supervisor in May that he was giving the idea serious consideration, and then again in June when he decided to attend a formal Labour committee meeting.
He was offered a list spot that evening: "I gave that contemplation over the next day, and then informed police, and then informed the Labour Party."
Asked whether he would do anything differently with hindsight, Naidoo responded: "No."
Labour's new police recruit says no institutional racism in force
Naidoo said the commotion following his entry into politics had left him "more committed than ever" to the job.
Asked whether he had on ambitions on becoming Police Minister, the rookie candidate described himself as a "new recruit" and said he was not getting ahead of himself.
"I'm just really focused on the next few days," he said. "In fact, today I'm just trying to focus on getting through the media interviews."
Naidoo was largely unwilling to proffer his opinions on law and order policy, saying it would be "highly inappropriate" for him to share his thoughts on, say, the gang patch ban, given his recent involvement.
But asked about systemic racism, Naidoo said he had seen no evidence of it during his nearly 25 years in the police force.
"I've personally never witnessed any racism within police," he said. "I do not believe there is institutional racism."
Naidoo said officers themselves were subjected to racism while dealing with the public, pointing to a broader rise in hate and declining trust in institutions as issues that motivated him to enter politics.
Asked whether Labour had been "soft on crime" in government – as alleged by National – Naidoo again punted the question to Hipkins or police spokesperson Ginny Anderson.
Pressed again, Naidoo said his values aligned strongly with Labour.
"When people start making tough choices, when they can't get good healthcare... when you can't put food on the table... when you're unemployed and you're stressed... then that flows on into wider consequences... things such as crime and victimisation."
He said former police colleagues had given him "a fair bit of ribbing" about abandoning a secure career and taking a pay cut, but many had also backed his decision.
"My colleagues have been very excited because they see it as I see it: as a continuance of my service to our communities and to our country."
Naidoo, who was the ethnic, iwi and communities relationship manager for police, was announced as Labour's 13th ranked candidate on June 8, virtually guaranteeing him a seat in Parliament.
Mitchell pounced on the announcement, questioning what sensitive information Naidoo had access to while quietly talking to Labour.
Chambers quickly followed, declaring Naidoo's position with the police to be "untenable" and launching an investigation.
Chambers said Naidoo should have declared his intentions earlier, saying he had been notified only days before the announcement.
But a police statement, issued on August 13, later confirmed Naidoo had notified his supervisor in the week beginning May 25.
It also said police were satisfied that all emails from Naidoo's police account to Labour were legitimate work correspondence.
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