Police acknowledge the findings of the IPCA report in regard to police continuing to try and speak with a person who had earlier declined to speak with them.
On 16 May 2018, Police were patrolling in Herne Bay, Auckland following a violent sexual assault which had occurred five days earlier.
At around 2.30am, an officer stopped to talk to two men walking in the area. After initially answering the officer’s questions, one of the men decided not to engage further and walked back to his nearby supported accommodation home.
Other officers were then instructed to go to the address to talk to the man. They were let into the address by the night manager.
Relieving District Commander for Auckland City Superintendent Bruce O’Brien says there is no doubt the officers were working hard to patrol the area following a serious sexual assault with the offender responsible still not identified or located. They were attempting to speak to as many people as they could to gather information to help the investigation team:
“The staff had great intentions but we acknowledge that the person involved did not have to continue speaking with Police and going to the address to speak with him could have been handled differently.”
Police subsequently met with the man and his family in December 2018 and apologised to him.
ENDS
Shelley Nahr/NZ Police