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Four police officers who allegedly beat and pepper-sprayed a man in custody at Whakatane were stood down after their area commander saw the alleged assault on a video surveillance tape.
Eastern Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Pat Tasker yesterday told the Herald that he reviewed the tape after a member of the man's family complained to police.
"I had sufficient concern about what I saw to report the matter to the district commander [Superintendent Gary Smith] and the Police Complaints Authority," Mr Tasker said.
He would not reveal details of the officers' actions on the tape but said he requested a formal investigation "to determine whether the actions were justified or not".
The incident is alleged to have occurred last week and left a man, who is in his 20s, with injuries described by police as "relatively minor" but for which they offered him medical attention.
The four officers, understood to include two sergeants who have each served at Whakatane for several years, were stood down on full pay on Monday - the same day Mr Tasker was informed of the complaint and viewed the tape.
The Herald was told the man had been arrested for disqualified driving and was beaten by two officers and pepper-sprayed by a third.
The incident allegedly happened in a charge room at Whakatane Police Station and the man was later released on bail.
Mr Tasker would not reveal if all four officers stood down were in the charge room with the man, saying only that they were on duty in the station at the time.
Police have launched an internal inquiry and the Police Complaints Authority is also investigating.
Authority head Judge Ian Borrin said he could not recall an incident involving that number of officers being stood down.
The police inquiry is being carried out by four investigators from outside the Bay of Plenty.
Mr Tasker said: "It is unusual for four police officers to be suspended and I think it's fair for the community of the Eastern Bay and the family [of the man] that total independence be invested into it."
The Herald has been told that as well as the two sergeants, a senior constable and a constable were involved.
Police have refused to reveal details of the officers' identities, including their ranks, but Mr Tasker denied that the officers were being protected.
