An Auckland police custody officer has been suspended from duty after being charged with supplying the class-A drug cocaine.
The 32-year-old civilian police employee is also accused of possessing cocaine and ecstasy.
If convicted he could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
A police superintendent confirmed the man was facing serious drug charges, including supplying cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of ecstasy.
“These offences are alleged to have taken place in February this year, outside of the workplace.
“The employee, who is an authorised officer, was suspended at the commencement of a criminal investigation. An employment process remains ongoing.”
An authorised officer is an unsworn civilian police employee who is granted authority to carry out certain constabulary duties, often in a custody role.
The man was summonsed on July 31 and appeared in North Shore District Court last week.
A Drug overdoses in Aotearoa report released on Saturday by the NZ Drug Foundation Te Puna Whakaiti Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri found 1179 people died in New Zealand from accidental drug overdose between 2016 and 2023.
Opioids were the biggest contributor, with 516 people having taken at least one opioid before their deaths and – whether or not it was the cause of death – 35.4% of fatal overdoses involved alcohol.
The report’s findings were heartbreaking, foundation executive director Sarah Helm said.
“Each of these numbers represents a person whose whānau, friend group and community has been ripped apart.