It was the first time the police commissioner
had addressed a crowd since Derek Chauvin, an American police officer, had knelt on the neck of George Floyd outside a grocery store for nearly 10 minutes in front of a crowd of onlookers, leading to his death.
The death sparked protests about police brutality and the mistreatment of people of colour in more than 60 countries, including in every major city in New Zealand.
Coster, who was just 44 when he was appointed last year, making him the youngest police commissioner, was just two months into the role. He was leading an organisation of 14,000 staff, and facing intense scrutiny and pressure.