Police recruit showed another porn, asked unsolicited sexual questions

A police recruit asked unsolicited sexual questions of another recruit and showed them pornographic material on his phone while masturbating, the police watchdog has revealed.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) released a summary of a police investigation the Authority oversaw into the recruit on Thursday.

The IPCA said the allegations were that a recruit asked unsolicited sexual questions of another recruit and then showed them pornographic material on his cell phone while masturbating.

"The two recruits were off-duty and alone inside a vehicle parked on the side of a public road, late at night, in the greater Wellington area."

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The IPCA said police initially decided against a criminal investigation, saying it was unnecessary and instead began an employment process.

"We asked police to reconsider and undertake a criminal investigation, as the complaint suggested a criminal offence, but they did not.

"Police progressed their employment process for the recruit and upheld the allegations made against him as serious misconduct. The Authority wrote to police stating that while we agreed with their finding and outcome for the employment process, we did not agree with the decision not to undertake a criminal investigation."

Police then began a criminal investigation into the complaint.

"We oversaw this investigation. Police found there was insufficient evidence to establish a criminal offence. In our view, Police conducted the criminal investigation appropriately and we agree with the conclusion reached.

"During the criminal investigation, police identified another complainant who alleged that the same recruit showed this recruit pornographic material. Police assessed this incident as part of the criminal investigation and found insufficient evidence of criminal offending."

A further employment process was then carried out and the recruit resigned before it was completed.

"Nonetheless, police concluded their investigation and did not uphold the further allegations.

"Contrary to agreed process, police only informed the Authority of the outcome after police finalised matters with the recruit. We were therefore not provided with an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed police finding."

Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said in a statement to RNZ that in 2025 a female recruit who was undergoing her training at Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) came forward to report inappropriate behaviour by a male recruit following an incident that occurred off-duty and not on police premises.

"Police undertook an assessment of this complaint and a confidential employment process was commenced, finding some of this behaviour was upheld and amounted to serious misconduct.

"Police also referred the matter to the IPCA and following their review, self-initiated a criminal investigation alongside our employment process."

Johnson said the criminal investigation found insufficient evidence to prove the incident constituted a criminal offence.

"During the criminal investigation, another alleged incident with some similarities but with less serious allegations was brought to our attention, involving the same male recruit. Police carried out an additional employment process for this matter but ultimately these allegations were not upheld."

Johnson said police wanted to acknowledge the female recruit, who is now a police officer, who came forward to report the behaviour which was "contrary to both our values and the standard the public would expect of any police employee".

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