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Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has welcomed the appointment of Assistant Commissioner Mike Pannett as a statutory Deputy Commissioner of New Zealand Police.
“I want to congratulate Mike on his appointment after a lengthy and very thorough selection process,” Commissioner Chambers says.
“Mike is a thoroughly decent person with integrity and determination and has the leadership experience needed for this position.
“He has had a varied career and brings valuable experience to the leadership of NZ Police.”
Chambers says Pannett’s background includes policing roles in Auckland and Northland, with a focus on organised crime and intelligence, as well as serving as District Commander of the Southern police district in 2015 and 2016.
“His subsequent experience working internationally and his extensive work on national security, intelligence and transnational crime equip him to ensure we are well-placed to address emerging threats to New Zealand,” he says.
Chambers says the appointment allows him to move ahead with forming his wider leadership team following what he described as a challenging period for the organisation.
“This appointment means I can now establish my wider leadership team after what has been a challenging period,” he says.
“I will commence the appointment process for a second, non-statutory Deputy Commissioner immediately and expect to finalise an appointment early in 2026.
“I also expect to announce new Assistant Commissioners soon to fill vacancies at that level.”
Chambers says implementing the recommendations of the Independent Police Conduct Authority report will be an immediate focus for the new leadership team, with work already underway.
“We have a big job to do and my focus is very firmly on doing that job to ensure we maintain and build on trust and confidence of both the public and the frontline,” he says.
Incoming Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett says he is honoured by the appointment.
“I feel very privileged and excited about this opportunity and will do my best for the men and women of NZ Police, and the communities we all serve,” he says.
“I have experience in a wide range of policing approaches, and a strong belief that trust and confidence underpins everything that we do.
“There are 15,000 dedicated staff in Police and I want to ensure people understand the difficult job they do, day and night, and the dedication they show.
“I look forward to being part of a leadership team that focuses on the front line and the communities they serve.”
Career background
Assistant Commissioner Michael (Mike) Pannett MNZM has served in New Zealand Police for more than 40 years, holding senior leadership roles both domestically and internationally.
He is currently Assistant Commissioner – National Security and International, and has worked extensively across serious and organised crime, intelligence and national security.
Pannett served as District Commander in the Southern district from late 2015 to the end of 2016 and was appointed Assistant Commissioner in 2016. He was National Commander during the response to the 2019 Christchurch terror attacks.
From 2020 to 2023, he was seconded to lead the Australian Federal Police International Command, based in Canberra, working on global policing and Interpol activities. During that time, he became the first police officer to be sworn as an Assistant Commissioner in both Australia and New Zealand simultaneously.
Earlier in his career, Pannett spent three decades based in Auckland and Northland, where he became Northland District Crime Services Manager and established the Northland District Intelligence Unit, overseeing major homicide and organised crime investigations. He also led policing operations at Waitangi for more than 20 years.
In 2009, he was promoted to lead intelligence operations at the newly established National Intelligence Unit at Police National Headquarters.
His international experience includes four years in Washington DC as Senior Liaison Officer to the United States, Canada, Central and Southern America from 2011 to 2015, as well as involvement in security operations for both the Rio and Beijing Olympic Games.
Pannett was invested as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2010 for services to Police. He has completed executive programmes at Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government and the FBI National Executive Institute.
