Police officers who dragged man from vehicle used reasonable force - IPCA

File photo / NZ Herald

Two police officers who dragged a man from his vehicle after a pursuit used reasonable force to arrest him, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) investigated the incident in which two Taupo police officers arrested a man after a police pursuit on July 3, 2013.

The IPCA said an officer saw a late model Mercedes with no licence plates travelling along Palmer Mill Road in Taupo.

The driver of the Mercedes failed to stop after the officer activated his lights and siren, and took off along State Highway 5 towards Rotorua.

The pursuit continued as the driver hit speeds of up to 150-160km/h in a 100km/h speed zone but was abandoned 17 minutes later when the officer lost sight of the Mercedes.

After a search for the car, the officer and a second officer who had been called to assist found the car.

When the vehicle finally came to a stop, the two officers parked their vehicles around it to prevent the driver from fleeing.

When the driver stopped one of the officers saw him lean over and kiss his girlfriend.

The IPCA said the officer was unsure whether the driver was saying goodbye or whether he was reaching for a weapon in the footwell of the car.

The IPCA said the officer ran to the car, opened the driver's door, grabbed him by the shoulders, pulled him from the car and took him to the ground.

The driver said the officers used excessive force, including knees to the back and the leg.

IPCA chairman Judge Sir David Carruthers said the first officer's extraction of the driver from the car, and the force used to arrest him, was reasonable and justified in the circumstances.

"The driver of the Mercedes resisted the handcuffing procedure and the officer was therefore entitled to use reasonable force to overcome this resistance.

"The use of force by the second officer to assist with the arrest process was also reasonable and justified in the circumstances.

"Both officers believed that the driver might be concealing a weapon, a fear that was justified after such a prolonged pursuit. As a result of the driver's actions, in resisting arrest, the officers were left with little choice other than force that was used to successfully apprehend the fleeing driver."

The driver was later charged with reckless driving, driving while suspended, failing to stop and failing to comply with a Police Safety Order in relation to this incident. He was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 10 weeks' imprisonment.