Kaitaia Police Staffer Admits to Deceiving Force in $29,000 Timesheet Fraud

Authorised officer Riki Toby admitted to claiming 42 unworked shifts over 16 months at Kaitaia Police Station, citing financial pressure following a personal break-up.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 10:19 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Exploiting Systemic Vulnerabilities at Kaitaia Station

The fraud was carried out by manually entering additional shifts into the police internal system, which were then approved by a custody sergeant who was unaware the hours had not been logged. The deception continued for over 16 months before the volume of overtime claimed finally triggered a internal investigation. Court documents reveal that Toby was working a standard "six days on, four days off" roster but used his off-days to claim for extra pay. In total, the 42 fraudulent shifts resulted in an overpayment of $29,000, which the police are now seeking to recover through reparation orders.

Oversight Failures and the IPCA Response

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has reviewed the case, expressing satisfaction with the police investigation but highlighting significant "general process issues" regarding how timesheets were reviewed and approved. The IPCA summary noted that the approving sergeant only became suspicious after the sheer volume of Toby's claims became statistical outliers. In response to the breach, Northland police have reportedly adjusted their procedures and staffing levels to ensure more rigorous secondary checks on manual overtime entries. Toby resigned from his position before formal employment disciplinary processes could be initiated.

Integrity Crisis Within the Ranks

The conviction comes at a sensitive time for New Zealand Police, following a recent Performance Improvement Review which concluded that an "integrity reset" is urgently needed within the force. Northland District Commander Superintendent Matt Srhoj has condemned Toby’s behavior as "totally unacceptable," noting that it undermines the public's trust in police staff. This case follows other high-profile integrity issues, including the misuse of a search and rescue vehicle for a camping trip and a separate investigation into a former deputy commissioner regarding un-reimbursed hotel stays.