Upper Hutt Police are praising Maoribank community members who did the right thing by calling Police when they saw a family in trouble on Monday 3 June.
Police received several 111 calls from witnesses reporting an aggressive man threatening a mother and children.
One member of the public allowed the woman and children into his property to keep them safe.
Upper Hutt Public Safety Team Sergeant Sam Mercer says the callers described what was happening and where, which enabled Police to get there quickly.
“When Police arrived the man continued to act aggressively, then proceeded to resist arrest,” says Sergeant Mercer.
“During this time several members of the public offered assistance to the Police staff who were arresting the man.
“This included neighbours, and a rubbish-truckie who was driving by. While no physical assistance was required, the officers appreciated that the community had their back, and were prepared to step up if needed.”
More Police were quickly on the scene, and the man was taken into custody safely.
Sergeant Mercer says this was a great example of the public standing up for vulnerable members of our community.
“It’s great to see the community stepping up and saying that family harm is not okay. It’s also a great reminder for our Police staff that our community supports us in our efforts to keep people safe.”
The man has been charged with threatening behaviour and resisting arrest and appeared in the Hutt Valley District Court this week.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre