KEY POINTS:
Police twice pepper-sprayed a man who was allegedly brandishing two large knives and threatening to kill his partner and officers.
Police were called to a domestic incident in the New Plymouth suburb of Spotswood at 12.10am.
They found a woman and her children standing on the lawn of her property, and a man shouting at them, wielding a large knife in each hand.
Detective Pat Yates said the officers asked the man to put down the knives. When he refused, they pepper-sprayed him.
He ran back into the house, before returning to confront police.
They sprayed him again, and he ran back into the house, Mr Yates said.
Police then called out the armed offenders squad, who arrested the man without anyone getting hurt.
A 34-year-old man will appear in New Plymouth District Court today, charged with threatening to kill, assault with a weapon, possessing offensive weapons and intentional damage.
- NZPA
