Police introduce new code of conduct

File photo / NZ Herald

A new police code of conduct sets out the high expectations for all police staff, the commissioner says.

Police introduced the new code of conduct this morning, Newstalk ZB reported.

It was the first update to the code in seven years and new items in the code included matters such as sexual conduct, theft, dishonesty and corruption.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB this morning, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the matters were previously in the code of conduct, but were not specified.

"It is just putting a bit of specificity ... to give it a bit of clarity.

"The code of conduct really is just to contemporise where we are and also to bring it in line with our new values in the New Zealand police."

Mr Bush said police had started working on the new code of conduct six months ago.

"We went out and consulted with our staff. This is a joint piece of work between the police staff and the police executive."

He said while many of the matters explored in the new code of conduct went without saying, the high expectations of people within police needed to be articulated.

"It's also [about] the expectations of the public, and that's why we have made the document public.

"So whilst it's my and the police executive's expectations of how we will be professional in the service we provide, it is also really important that the public can understand and have their expectations very clear of their police service."

Mr Bush said police were "rightly" the most scrutinised organisation in the country.

"I'm all for that. People need to know exactly what's going on in the New Zealand police ... we are the New Zealand public's police service."