At Police headquarters in Wellington there are two Assistant Commissioners responsible to the Commissioner. The Assistant Commissioner at headquarters longest in office is the Commissioner's deputy and assumes control in his absence. He is also responsible to the Commissioner for various headquarters sections – communications, civil defence, search and rescue, the arms bureau, and the handling of inter-departmental affairs and overseas correspondence.

A Chief Superintendent is responsible to the Assistant Commissioner for the administration of research and planning, police training, and the operation of the training school at Trentham, the personnel section, the police-dog unit, and police vehicles. These sections are each in the charge of a commissioned officer or a non-commissioned officer. The other Assistant Commissioner is in charge of the CIB administration on a national basis and is also responsible for the Criminal Records Bureau and its associated activities – fingerprints, photography, information, statistics, the Police Gazette, and its photographic supplement.

In the Police Headquarters organisation there is also a Superintendent of Staff, who is responsible for all transfers of constables and sergeants, housing as a result of transfers, and sport; a solicitor, who looks after all legal problems arising from police work; a director of medical services who advises the Commissioner on all medical matters affecting the Police; a secretary who, with the help of an administration officer, controls all civilian staff in the Department and its financial affairs; and a public relations officer who is the Department's and the Minister's press officer, responsible for all general publicity.