Friday's drama unfolded on Raumanga Valley Rd, near State Highway 1 in Raumanga. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Friday's drama unfolded on Raumanga Valley Rd, near State Highway 1 in Raumanga. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Two police officers were allegedly bitten during a scuffle with a Whangārei man who was reportedly trying to attack people nearby.
Officers were able to quickly locate the man on Raumanga Valley Rd, in Whangārei, around 10am on Friday.
A scuffle broke out between the man, reportedly under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the police staff attempting to arrest him, during which, two officers were allegedly bitten by the man.
A police spokeswoman said they received medical treatment for the minor injuries they suffered.
A Raumanga man was taken into custody and is due to face charges related to the incident.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo / Robert Kitchin for Stuff
Friday's tussle came two days after Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced Northland will test a full version of the new Tactical Response Model, designed to enhance police safety.
The trial is in response to concerns about the safety of New Zealand's frontline officers, of which Northland police experienced the brunt of when it came to gun violence.
The Advocate previously reported how the region's police force had been shot at the most, alongside the Bay of Plenty, with five shootings involving at least one firearm discharge since March 1, 2019.
Shots were fired at a lone Northland police officer on Puketona Rd in the early hours of the morning on October 27.
Northland police were selected alongside Central Police Districts to put the entire model through its paces.
"This means they will trial all components including training, access to specialist capability for dog handlers and Tactical Prevention Teams, and risk-based deployment and technology," Coster said.
Teams will remain generally unarmed but will have immediate access to firearms if the situation requires it.
Counties Manukau and Waikato were chosen to test a reduced model involving training, Tactical Prevention Teams, and risk-based deployment and technology.
Coster pegged the Tactical Response Model as an important move to ensure the safety of frontline staff and the public.
It follows wide-scale consultation that saw police reach out via more than 570 community engagement sessions with a range of groups - such as Māori, Pacific and Ethnic communities.
More than 1250 police staff shared their experiences and ideas to improve safety as part of the consultation, Coster said.
"Nothing is more important than the safety of our people and the communities they serve, so it is heartening that people have taken time to tell us what they think about our approach."
Coster said there would be continued engagement with communities throughout the trial process and they would monitor its progress ahead of a final evaluation.
