The statutory role is important within the constitutional framework of the police and carries a safeguard of independence from the Police Commissioner.
By law, the rank is a safeguard of independence. Any allegations made against the Commissioner, for example, would be investigated by one of the deputies.
Or if Richard Chambers was to be incapacitated, for example, Pannett would assume office until a new commissioner was appointed.
Pannett has held the rank of Assistant Commissioner since 2016 and is currently in charge of the national security programme.
During that time, he also had a three-year secondment with the Australian Federal Police to oversee branch offices across 33 countries, with a focus on transnational organised crime.
For the first 30 years of his career, Pannett was based in Auckland and Northland where he led a number of high-profile homicide and organised crime investigations.
Following that, he had a four-year stint in Washington DC as the liaison officer to the United States, Canada and South America before returning to be the Southern District Commander based in Dunedin.
He has acted as deputy commissioner in several portfolios this year.
“I am very pleased to appoint Mr Pannett to this role. He is a highly experienced and respected leader with more than 40 years in policing,” Mitchell said.
“He has shown strong leadership in complex and high-pressure situations, both in New Zealand and overseas.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers speak about the damning IPCA report into the mishandling of complaints against Jevon McSkimming. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Pannett was picked over Jill Rogers, who has also been acting in a deputy commissioner role for most of the year.
She was also the public face of the police during the high-profile shooting of the fugitive father Tom Phillips in the absence of Chambers who was overseas.
The other applicants interviewed were Mike Johnson and Bruce O’Brien, both currently assistant commissioners.
Mitchell said that a second non-statutory Deputy Commissioner would be appointed by Chambers.
His predecessors Andy Coster and Mike Bush also promoted non-statutory deputies through their discretionary powers as Police Commissioner.
The appointment of Pannett – which comes with an annual salary in excess of $500,000 – will now have a domino effect on how Chambers reshapes his leadership team after a tumultuous year.
Earlier this year, Chambers restructured the top of Police National Headquarters, which resulted in a net loss of 19 roles (and an estimated annual saving of $2 million).
McSkimming and Tania Kura were exempt because they were statutory appointments made by the previous Labour government, and independent from the Commissioner.
Then Kura followed McSkimming out the door by announcing her retirement in August, followed by Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham in September.
Both Kura and Basham were subsequently criticised in an inquiry by the Independent Police Conduct Authority into how police mishandled sex complaints against McSkimming.
Those unexpected departures have given Chambers more opportunities to promote new leaders to the rank of Assistant Commissioner.
Six applicants were interviewed more than a month ago. But those internal promotions have been delayed because the government was yet to announce the replacement for McSkimming.
With the appointment of Pannett and a potential second deputy being promoted internally, the Assistant Commissioner positions are expected to be confirmed soon and, in turn, will create new vacancies at district commander or superintendent level.
Jared Savage covers crime and justice issues, with a particular interest in organised crime. He joined the Herald in 2006 and has won a dozen journalism awards in that time, including twice being named Reporter of the Year. He is also the author of Gangland, Gangster’s Paradise and Underworld.