Leaked Communications Reveal New Zealand Police Director Provided Confidential Real Time Updates to Documentary Crew During Fatal Standoff

Internal police texts reveal director Juli Clausen gave a documentary crew early alerts about the shooting of Tom Phillips, bypassing his family and media.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 3, 2026, 5:11 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from RNZ

Confidential Alerts Sent During High Stakes Police Operation

Internal police correspondence totaling nearly 300 pages has unveiled a controversial relationship between the New Zealand Police media director and a private documentary crew. According to the released documents, Juli Clausen, the director of media and strategic communications, sent a private text to CEO Dame Julie Christie at 6:14 am on September 8, 2025. The message provided a "heads up" that fugitive Tom Phillips had been involved in a burglary and had been shot. This communication occurred while Clausen was in transit to the scene, significantly ahead of any official public statement or notification to the Phillips family.

A Longstanding Professional and Personal Dialogue

The relationship between the police communications head and the documentary boss appears to have been cultivated over several months. Records indicate that messaging began as early as February 2024, involving discussions about contract agreements, filming logistics, and strategic advice. In one notable exchange, Clausen advised Christie to communicate directly with the officer in charge of the investigation via telephone. According to the transcript, Clausen warned that written messages are "everything discoverable," suggesting a deliberate attempt to avoid creating a paper trail that could be accessed through official information requests.

Unprecedented Access to Live Criminal Investigations

The level of cooperation granted to the production team, which was reportedly filming for a project linked to Netflix, has sparked significant internal concern. Clausen described the arrangement in her messages as "pretty incredible access" given New Zealand’s strict privacy and investigative laws. Unlike standard documentaries focusing on cold cases, this project was embedded within an active, live investigation known as Operation Curly. According to official logs, the crew was permitted to film preparations for media conferences and was even granted access to active crime scenes, a privilege rarely afforded to traditional news organizations.