Attribute to Superintendent Naila Hassan, Waitemata District Commander:
Police acknowledge a report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) regarding an incident where an officer deployed a taser following a pursuit involving a stolen tractor.
Shortly after midnight on 16 April 2018, Police were notified by members of the public in Kaiwaka after an intoxicated 15-year-old male stole a tractor and damaged the garage of a sports ground.
The male was spotted by Police a short time later on State Highway 1 driving the stolen tractor on the wrong side of the road. He then refused to stop for Police after being signalled to pull over.
The driver continued to flee from Police and was observed driving towards Wellsford in a dangerous manner, travelling no more than 20kph on a highway with a 100kph speed limit, doing several U-turns on the highway and driving on the opposite side of the road, creating a significant safety risk and putting other motorists in danger.
A Police officer in Wellsford attempted to deploy road spikes and the male drove onto the footpath in the direction of the officer in an attempt to avoid the spikes. The officer then deployed his taser and the male rolled off the tractor, where he was subsequently arrested without incident. The male did not sustain any injuries.
Waitemata District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan says Police accept the findings of the IPCA’s report, which found the officer’s use of his taser was an unreasonable and excessive use of force in this instance.
“While we accept these findings, it’s important to acknowledge that this was a dynamic, unpredictable situation, involving an intoxicated male driving dangerously on the highway and posing a safety risk to the public, himself and to our Police officers.
“The nature of Policing is unpredictable and our officers are frequently faced with situations where they are required to make split-second decisions in rapidly-changing, and often dangerous, environments.
“The officer involved in this incident was acting in good faith and with community safety at the forefront of his intentions as he attempted to resolve the situation with urgency, due to the considerable safety risk and danger posed to innocent motorists as a result of the dangerous driving by the intoxicated male on a main highway.
“We have taken on board the IPCA’s findings and accept there were other tactical options available to the officer at the time. We will be communicating the lessons learnt from this incident to our people and the officer involved,” says Superintendent Hassan.
ENDS
Nick Baker/NZ Police