Police superintendent who bullied senior officer moving to new role in October: reports

Waikato's district commander, who was found to have committed bullying, will be moving to a new role this October, according to reports.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority ruled earlier this year that Superintendent Bruce Bird committed bullying after yelling at a senior officer in two senior management meetings.

Starting on October 14, Bird will take on a new role for nine months under the police's Consistent Operational Deployment Programme (COPD), the New Zealand Herald reported.

According to the report, which cited a police spokesperson, the COPD aims to "increase efficiency and reduce duplication of effort by aligning operational deployment processes and systems across districts."

It comes as the police are experiencing significant cost pressures, according to the spokesperson.

"Frontline operations must play a vital role in alleviating these pressures," the spokesperson told the Herald.

Bullying findings against superintendent

Sam Hoyle, acting deputy commissioner for frontline operations, described Bird on a police internal notice board as a "highly experienced leader with considerable experience in operational deployment."

"We are grateful for his support," Hoyle said in the memo as quoted by the Herald.

Bird's transfer comes months after he was found to have committed bullying against a senior officer. In 2017, he also reportedly pressured a senior officer to prevent his daughter from getting arrested.

IPCA, referring to Bird's bullying conduct, said the superintendent's behaviour indicates a style of management that is "no longer acceptable for NZ Police."

The police did not comment on whether Bird received disciplinary action after the bullying conduct, noting the confidentiality of the employment process, according to the Herald's report.