Criticism after van crash as police stifled by change in pursuit techniques.
A police pursuit of a suspected burglar has ended in a serious crash - bringing fresh claims that officers' powers have been weakened to the point that criminals have the advantage.
The accident happened after officers began chasing a suspected burglar in rural Clevedon, south of Auckland.
Police soon abandoned the pursuit - and just minutes later the van collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction. The driver of the van and the two occupants of the other car were injured.
The Herald on Sunday has been told officers pursuing the van on Clevedon-Kawakawa Road on Friday afternoon asked for permission to carry out a "moving block" while the car was travelling about 30km/h.
The technique - carried out at low speeds - sees police using their patrol vehicles to push those they are pursuing to a halt.
The request was declined by central communications. The alleged burglar, believed to be driving a white panel van, then sped up to around 100km/h and the officers backed off.
Shortly afterwards the man crashed his vehicle into a car travelling the other way.
The driver had to be cut from the vehicle and taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries. Ambulance and police were unable to provide details on the other motorist's injuries.
A spokesman for the central communications said: "It looks like the vehicle has been pursued then that pursuit has been called off. The pursuit has been abandoned and there's been a crash after that."
He said speeds of just 30km to 40km were reached during the pursuit.
When asked if police had tried to stop the car while it was travelling at the low speeds, the spokesman said "moving blocks" had been phased out and were no longer allowed to be used by general police staff.
The spokesman said only the Armed Offenders Squad was allowed to carry out the manoeuvre.
Police Association president Greg O'Connor said it was common knowledge among criminals that police were discouraged from chasing them.
He said: "The balance has gone very much in favour of those who are trying to get away from police.
"The word is pretty much out there that if you put the foot down the police will be forced to withdraw.
"The most important thing is obviously minimising danger to the public."
O'Connor confirmed that the "moving block" technique had been phased out recently.
Former Superintendent Bryan Rowe said police were in a difficult situation when deciding whether to give chase.
He said: "You have to decide if the suspect presents an immediate risk to the public when making those decision."
Clevedon's Robert Duggan was caught in the traffic after the accident. He was later told by a family member that the pursuit appeared to go past his home.
"Then 10 minutes later it was like the Formula One track."
Duggan said the van over-shot a corner at Holdens Rd and hit an oncoming car.
Duggan said the scene was covered in glass and six police cars were in attendance. There were also two ambulances, and two fire trucks.
Another resident, who declined to be named, said it appeared the van had crossed into the wrong side of the road and hit the other vehicle.
"The bonnet of the van was on the opposite side of the road to where the van was," the witness said.
Pursuits reviewed
A review of police pursuits by the Independent Police Conduct Authority last year found about one in four recorded pursuits ended in a crash.
About one in 50 ended in serious injury, while about one in 500 ended in death.
At least three people died following police pursuits every year from 2003 to 2008. More than 20 a year were seriously injured.
In October the IPCA recommended changes to police policy to give clearer guidelines on when pursuits were justified.
