Please attribute to Relieving Waikato District Commander Superintendent Scott Gemmell
Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority in relation to an incident in Whitianga in March 2023.
Police officers were called to an apartment complex for a family harm matter.
One officer went to the address on foot and a second officer went in from another direction in a patrol car. When the officer drove into the carpark, he saw the man who had been involved in the family harm incident. The man immediately started yelling at the officer and smashed the police car windscreen shattering the glass, which injured the officer.
The officer initially started driving away but concerned for his colleague who had still not arrived at the scene, he did a U-turn and then drove the patrol car into the man. He has then got out of his patrol car and punched the offender several times.
Police carried out an investigation into the incident and the officer was charged with common assault and assault with intent to injure. The case was tried before a Judge and jury in May 2024 and the officer was acquitted.
The offender in this incident was charged with intentional damage and intentionally injuring the officer and was convicted in court.
As both matters have already been traversed through the courts, police will keep our comment limited except to say that while we acknowledge this was a confronting and unpredictable situation for the officer involved, our investigation and subsequent legal advice found the force used was excessive and as such the officer was charged.
An employment investigation remains ongoing, and we cannot comment on the specifics for privacy reasons. We can confirm the officer remains working for New Zealand Police.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre