Police warn officer's attackers

Photo / Richard Robinson

Police have warned the attackers who beat an off-duty policemen nearly to death when he tried to stop a fight yesterday, that their time is nearly up.

The policeman and several local residents stepped in to stop a fight in the south Auckland town of Tuakau yesterday but the policeman was knocked to the ground by a blow from behind and kicked and stomped in the face and body numerous times in a prolonged attack by several young people.

Police said today he came close to dying but they had a good idea of who the attackers were and they would be brought to justice.

"They will be made accountable for their actions," said Superintendent Mike Bush, the head of the Counties Manukau police district.

The 39-year-old front line Papakura policeman and the public who helped him received high praise for trying to stop the fight but police also said when he was taken to Middlemore Hospital unconscious and in a critical condition, they feared he could die.

"We did consider that. He was reported in a status one by the medics (close to death)," said Mr Bush.

"He has some very serious injuries. They include a fractured skull, multiple fractures to his face, a broken jaw, a broken ankle, a collapsed lung, multiple abrasions and bruises about the body and missing teeth."

The policeman, who has been the police for five years, was walking his dog in Elizabeth St about 4pm yesterday, tried to stop a group of young people fighting when he was hit from behind and knocked to the ground where he was set upon by the group.

Mr Bush said he was not sure if the officer identified himself as a policeman and it was too soon to say what weapons may have been involved.

"It was a very serious and sustained attack, we believe by more than one person," Mr Bush said.

About 30 or 40 people were at the fight and Mr Bush said every one of those people would be interviewed to get details of what happened. Gangs were thought to be involved.

"We already have encouraging information which would suggest who the offenders for the attack are and will certainly be speaking to those people within a very short time."

Mr Bush said police were particularly concerned that "groups of people can turn on members of the public who are there to do a good deed, regardless of whether they are off duty police officers or not."

He would not say if police believe some of the attackers were from Tuakau College after earlier reports some of the attackers might be students.

Mr Bush said the officer did the right thing when he tried to stop the fight and as he lay on the ground other people came to his aid.

"We are extremely thankful for that."

He said it was important for the community to know what their role was in a similar situation.

"I applaud the off duty officer, I applaud the members of the community who went forward but if you are contemplating such a thing you must weigh up the risk be for yourself before you step in. But if people do step in I applaud their bravery

"It is really important as a community we don't take a backward step around this stuff. The police intend to take a forward step and we would like the community to stake a forward step."

Mr Bush said the policeman was unlikely to be back at work for some time.

He said anyone who saw the fight should call police, including a bus driver and a truck driver who stopped at the incident.

- NZPA