Waikato Police Superintendent Bruce Bird gets temporary role after bullying ruling

Waikato's top cop Bruce Bird will leave his role for nine months to work on a national project focusing on creating efficiencies.

A police superintendent found to have bullied a senior officer is temporarily leaving his post to take up an “opportunity” to work out how to create efficiencies and “reduce duplication” across the organisation.

Waikato police boss Bruce Bird begins his new role, which lasts for up to nine months, on October 14.

However, some sources have questioned the timing of the appointment, given it comes just weeks after the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) found Bird bullied an officer by yelling at them in two senior management meetings, leaving the staffer feeling “belittled and disrespected”.

The IPCA ruled Bird’s behaviour was “unreasonable” and “bullying” and stated his style of management “is no longer acceptable for NZ Police”.

It wasn’t the first time Bird has been the subject of an employment and IPCA investigation.

In 2017, NZME reported he interfered with the arrest of his daughter after she was taken to Hamilton Central Police Station for processing after a domestic incident.

Soon afterwards Bird, who has been Waikato’s top cop since 2014, found out about the arrest and phoned the senior officer on duty, allegedly putting pressure on him to stop the arrest from happening.

Despite his interference, the woman was processed and arrested. NZME understands the prosecution was handled outside the Waikato district and she was given diversion.

Police didn’t comment on whether Bird faced any disciplinary action in relation to the most recent complaint, saying the employment process was confidential, but he remains the Waikato’s district commander.

‘Experiencing significant cost pressures’

Bird was one of three to apply to lead the Consistent Operational Deployment Programme (COPD), which a police spokesperson said “aims to increase efficiency and reduce duplication of effort by aligning operational deployment processes and systems across districts”.

“Police, like many organisations, is experiencing significant cost pressures.

“Frontline operations must play a vital role in alleviating these pressures.”

Waikato police district commander Superintendent Bruce Bird, pictured in 2017. Photo / Dean Purcell.

The COPD would closely align with its financial sustainability programme, which aims to contribute “meaningful cost reductions across the organisation”.

In a post on the police internal notice board, Acting Deputy Commissioner frontline operations Sam Hoyle said Bird was “a highly experienced leader with considerable experience in operational deployment and we are grateful for his support”.

Police would soon start looking for a suitable candidate to fill the Waikato role.

‘Hopefully a soft exit’

Police sources spoken to by NZME said they believed staff were “joining the dots” about Bird’s temporary departure and the IPCA’s findings from August 17.

Applications were sought for the new role between August 23 and September 6.

One source said some people believed he was “getting away” with his bullying behaviour.

The source said most staff “just hope it is a soft exit from the organisation and he won’t come back, I think”.

It’s believed Bird wouldn’t have any direct dealings with staff in his new temporary role.

‘Management style that is no longer acceptable for NZ Police’

In its findings, the IPCA stated Bird acted “unreasonably and unprofessionally” when he yelled at the senior officer and would not allow them to speak at the meeting, leaving the officer feeling “belittled and disrespected”.

“We note that others in the meeting also believed his behaviour to be unreasonable.

“We note that Superintendent Bird was under significant work pressure at the time... [the officer] was right to stand up to Bird’s unacceptable behaviour.

“However, [the officer] was left feeling isolated and unsupported by the organisation, questioning whether their career would be damaged by reporting the behaviour.”

The IPCA considered the second incident reached the threshold of “bullying” given it was “repeated behaviour”.

“Superintendent Bird’s behaviour towards [officer] indicates a style of management that is no longer acceptable for NZ Police.”

However, the IPCA also noted some other senior members at the meeting “did not believe Bird’s behaviour to be inappropriate, or accepted it”.

“This highlights a need for further work to be done by police to ensure leaders are effectively coaching and managing staff.”

Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables told NZME at the time that police took complaints about staff conduct seriously and the organisation was “committed to ensuring our people feel safe at work”.

“In this instance, police dealt with and resolved the matter through an employment process, which remains confidential.

“Police, quite rightly, expects high standards of our people, in accordance with our values of professionalism, integrity and respect.”

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and has been a journalist for 20.