Northland Police Officer Charged With Overtime Fraud

A Northland police officer has been charged with obtaining by deception after falsely claiming approximately $29,000 for overtime hours he did not work over a period of more than a year.

Riki Toby, an authorised officer based at the Kaitaia Police Station, submitted 42 timesheets for extra days and shifts between August 2024 and December 2025 that were not actually worked, according to reporting by RNZ.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) oversaw the investigation into the allegations. The watchdog revealed that the timesheets were approved by the custody sergeant, who was unaware that Toby had not worked the dates claimed.

The sergeant eventually became suspicious of the volume of overtime being claimed, which led to the discovery of the fraudulent submissions.

Financial Pressure and Motivation

Toby stated that the offending began following a personal break-up, which he said placed extra financial pressure on him.

The fraudulent claims resulted in Toby being paid nearly $30,000 for shifts he never completed.

Legal Proceedings

Following the IPCA investigation, Toby was charged with obtaining by deception. He has appeared in court and is currently awaiting sentencing.

The IPCA released a summary of the investigation on Tuesday, March 25, 2026, detailing the oversight of the police investigation into the authorised officer’s conduct.