The screams of a man on an inner-city street woke a resident, who thought there had been an assault or serious car accident.
But the screams apparently came from a police officer, who had part of his finger bitten off.
The officer lost the pad and top part of his right ring finger during the attack in Howe St early yesterday.
The constable, who has not been named, and his patrol partner had stopped a car for a traffic infringement at 4.40am. They found that the driver was forbidden to drive and wanted by police.
"The driver decided that he didn't want to be arrested and resisted quite violently," said Inspector Rob Abbott, Auckland central area commander.
The constable was "bitten about the body" as he tried to handcuff the man, said Mr Abbott.
There was no opportunity to use pepper spray.
"It was really just rumble, tumble on the ground and subdue him as best they could."
The attacker suffered bruising and a cut to the head. Yesterday, he was under guard in hospital with injuries police described as minor.
Howe St resident Thea Edwards said she was woken by screaming.
"The guy was really distressingly screaming, and then going, 'Help me, someone help me, please help me', and really screaming loudly."
Miss Edwards said the man was still screaming when additional police and an ambulance arrived.
"It was really quite scary because it was a grown man and he was screaming like he was really hurt.
"I just assumed it was one guy who had got beaten up ... or there was a car accident and he was the only one who was conscious."
Mr Abbott said the officer, aged in his late 20s to early 30s, would have been in terrible pain.
The finger flesh was recovered but doctors said they could not re-attach it.
The policeman was yesterday at home resting and would require surgery in future, said Mr Abbott.
He had also undergone blood tests and could be off work for weeks.
Mr Abbott said it was not unusual for people to resist arrest but police were more likely to suffer injuries such as bruising.
The 29-year-old man is facing two charges of common assault.
Screams as constable's finger tip bitten off
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