The sentencing of former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming represents not just the downfall of a senior officer, but a cloud over the system that enabled him to rise almost to the top.

Once considered a frontrunner for police commissioner, McSkimming pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation and bestiality material and was sentenced to nine months home detention.

The crimes only came to light because complaints about his conduct during the promotion process triggered a deeper investigation.

Evidence from the Independent Police Conduct Authority shows those complaints of sexual misconduct were dismissed or minimised. A young staff member who reported the alleged behaviour was undermined and her motives questioned.

This was not just about one man. It reflected a failure of proper process and wrongful protection of power at the highest levels.

The McSkimming case cannot be separated from the wider epidemic of violence against women in New Zealand.

OECD data shows the country has one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the developed world, with around one in three women experiencing it in their lifetime.

Police figures reveal the scale of the crisis: officers respond to family harm incidents 400 times every day. Nearly half of all homicides and reported violent crimes........

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