Police have apologised after it emerged a member of their media team informed a documentary production crew about the fatal shooting of Tom Phillips at least an hour before his family and the children’s mother were notified.
Phillips was killed during a September 2025 armed confrontation with police responding to a burglary in Western Waikato.
State media revealed the police director of media and strategic communications texted the documentary’s CEO about a “critical incident” at around 6.15am, while family notifications occurred after 7.30am.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers described the decision as “ill-advised” and below police standards, confirming an in-person apology had been made to the family.
The disclosure occurred within the context of an extensive “access agreement” between police and NHNZ Productions, which granted filmmakers exclusive insight into the year-long investigation while giving police significant editorial control. Police say the investigative team was not involved in the decision, and the communication is now under review through separate Official Information Act processes.
After everything we have seen from COVID going forward, does anyone expect much from the police? Like government in general, I’ve completely lost faith in them.
Honestly at this point you can literally feel their hatred for you in every new announcement and law change that gets passed.
I can see a person ferociously texting away with spittle frothing from their mouth. What a low life.
“extensive “access agreement” between police and NHNZ Productions”…my a*se!
Tom Phillips R.I.P.
Yes – because the film crew needed to be instructed, for whatever reason that followed…
…Which is why the poluce immediately sent a very senior rank, to the scene, in the middle of nowhere, as a public relations controller.
Then over the next few days and weeks, slowly release selected highly evocative images and narrative, even though the courts put a restriction on reporting.
Then get real grumpy when a journalist published a captured audio of the true events that night.
I won’t be watching the film, which the police say they have final authority to narrate.