Chris Kelley is waiting for the dust to settle. He has been waiting for a while now. In the last six weeks, Chris left his post as NZ Police Liaison Officer in Canberra, retired from his career of nearly 41 years with New Zealand Police and relocated to Tonga, where he has taken up the role of Police Commander. He is the first ‘palangi’ to hold the position since Tonga Police was founded in 1868.

The new Police Commander of Tonga Chris Kelley acknowledges the salute of a new graduate of Recruit Wing 38. Photo: Tonga police

Since arriving in Tonga, Chris’s feet haven’t touched the ground. As this article was written, his bags were still semi-unpacked in his hotel room and he hadn’t had a chance to look for somewhere permanent to live.

But this man likes a challenge. He loved his career with NZ Police. Since his first posting to Dunedin in 1968 Chris says he could count the ‘black days’ on the fingers of one hand.

Chris spent six years in Dunedin predominantly in CIB, then transferred to Invercargill as a detective sergeant.

In 1982 he took on a role in Management Services at PNHQ, then transferred to Wellington Central and back to Dunedin as detective senior sergeant. In 1988 Chris was promoted to inspector, becoming Head of Dunedin CIB in 1995. His NZ-based policing career culminated in the role of Southern Crime Services Manager in 1999.

In 2003 he undertook his first overseas stint when he was posted with Tim Haughey to Jakarta, Indonesia, in the wake of the Bali Bombings.

In March 2004 he was appointed as the NZ Police representative in Canberra.

Early in his career Chris worked on the Jennifer Beard murder inquiry, which made an impact on him.

When asked what sage piece of wisdom he would pass on to detectives after all his years of service, his response is, “Pay attention to the detail – get the detail right and the rest will fall into place.”

The decision to take on the Police Commander’s role in Tonga was not taken lightly. For a start it could have meant making a sacrifice that would make any police officer wince – five years off his pension. It also meant leaving a job that he loved and taking a great leap of faith out of his comfort zone. Chris’s huge challenge is to restore trust and confidence in policing, in an island nation where the public perception of its police service is in tatters, following the riots in November 2006.

The post of Police Commander in Tonga has been created through a tripartite agreement between Tonga, Australia and New Zealand.

Chris is keen to acknowledge the contribution of Commissioner Howard Broad and Assistant Commissioner Jon White, who supported his decision to take on the role. “Jon’s considerable experience of working in the international forum means his advice and guidance has been invaluable,” he says.

Chris will be overseeing the implementation of a strategy designed to reform policing in Tonga over the next five years. Although challenged he is not daunted by his role. He believes that the Tongan police service needs institutional strengthening. “The people are good, but their confidence and skills need improvement,” says Chris. “Better governance, training and resources will have an impact.”