Prime Minister Helen Clark and Police Minister George Hawkins today announced the appointment of two new Police Deputy Commissioners, Lyn Provost and Steve Long.

Lyn Provost is the first woman to be appointed a Deputy Commissioner of Police in New Zealand. She is currently the acting chief executive of Archives New Zealand. She was an Assistant Controller and Auditor-General and she has worked as a senior manager at the State Services Commission.

Steve Long has been a police officer in New Zealand and the United Kingdom for more than 31 years. He was the general manager, training and professional development until March 16, when he was appointed the acting Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations. He has been a district commander in Auckland.

"Lyn Provost has been appointed Deputy Commissioner in charge of resource management. As well as being the first woman Deputy Commissioner of Police, she is also the first non-sworn police officer to be appointed a Deputy Commissioner in modern police history,” Helen Clark and George Hawkins said.

"Lyn Provost will have overall responsibility for setting national strategy for police human resources, including employment relations, and information technology. She brings to the deputy commissionership an enormous breadth of experience and practical knowledge of the State sector.

Superintendent Long has been appointed Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations.

"He will be responsible for managing police national operations and setting policy for frontline policing. He will work closely with the 12 district commanders.

“Superintendent Long, who has led police operations during international events such as CHOGM and a royal tour, is highly experienced in both policing at the frontline and the role of police national headquarters in supporting frontline police,” Helen Clark and George Hawkins said.

Ends
Background Information

Lyn Provost

Lyn Provost has a BCA degree. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Lyn Provost has been the acting chief executive of Archives New Zealand since October. She is on secondment from the State Services Commission, where she was manager of the government management branch (1996-2000). Before that, she was an Assistant Controller and Auditor-General (1990-1995). She has been a public servant for 19 years.

She has managed major change projects in the State sector, and she has extensive knowledge of public management in New Zealand.

Lyn Provost will start work at Police on 7 May.

Superintendent Steve Long

Superintendent Long has been in the New Zealand Police since 1975. He was earlier a police officer in the United Kingdom.

Superintendent Long has an MA Hons degree. He was the district commander in the North Shore-Waitakere district, in Auckland, between 1994 and 1997. In that role, he had overall command of 400 police and a $30 million budget.

Superintendent Long was the officer in charge of planning and finance for region one – the upper half of the North Island – between 1994 and 1997. In that role, he was responsible for a $160 million budget. He was the officer in charge of planning in region three, in the South Island, between 1991 and 1994.

He has been the general manager of training and professional development, based at the Porirua police college, since 1997. He had overall responsibility for 250 staff and $27 million.

Superintendent Long has led police operations during international events such as CHOGM and a royal tour. In the North Shore-Waitakere role, he merged two police districts into a single command.

Superintendent Long is appointed a Deputy Commissioner from 28 March.

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