Claims of police brutality after footage emerges of man allegedly pepper sprayed in Porirua

Footage has emerged showing a man allegedly pepper sprayed by police being tackled to the ground before having a dog set on him.

Two videos of the incident, which took place last Sunday at a Mobil Porirua petrol station, were later posted to Facebook.

Friends of the man who was arrested want an investigation launched following claims of police brutality.

"We're not disputing the obstruction charge or the resisting arrest charge, we want the amount of force used investigated and [charges of] assaulting an officer twice dropped [sic]" said the woman who posted the video via Facebook.

"He never assaulted anyone."

The footage has since garnered nearly 400,000 views, over 3000 likes and a further 4000 shares.

The routine stop in the early hours of Sunday morning on Kenepuru Drive quickly escalated out of control when the poster alleges police used pepper spray on her friend as he tried to buy cigarettes.

She detailed in a post how the man went to buy cigarettes, but didn't return to his car when asked by police. While not shown in the footage, it is alleged the man was pepper sprayed after he walked away from the police officer.

The situation escalated when one woman confronts the police officer, asking why the man was pepper sprayed before the man flees from the officer to his partner on the other side of the station.

The footage shows a dog being retrieved from a police car before the man slips and is tackled to the ground by one officer. Another comes into view to hold the man down while trying to handcuff him.

The footage is split, but returns to show a dog pulling at the pants of the red-faced man being arrested.

Kapiti-Mana area commander Inspector Tracey Thompson said the man had been charged with resisting arrest, obstructing police and two counts of assaulting officers.

Police wouldn't confirm whether pepper spray was used in the incident, but said the footage posted may not necessarily portray the scope of the incident.

"We can confirm that a range of tactical options were deployed.

"While we have not been able to review the video mentioned, it is important to note that, as is often the case with brief video clips of this nature, it does not necessarily provide a full picture of what occurred prior to the event being filmed."

Police said they wouldn't be commenting further as the incident was now in the hands of the courts.

The post said the man suffered a black eye, cuts, numerous bruises and bruised nerves to one of his thumbs.

The woman disputed that there was any need to pepper spray the man, or release the police dog.

She hoped security footage from the Mobil petrol station would paint a better picture of the incident and lead to the right outcome.