An ex-policeman and close friend of slain jogger Jo Pert has laid a complaint against police for not detaining her killer the night before her death.
An ex-policeman and close friend of slain jogger Jo Pert has laid a complaint against police for not detaining her killer the night before her death.
An ex-policeman and close friend of slain jogger Jo Pert has laid a complaint against police's handling of her killer the night before her death.
It is the second complaint to be laid with the Independent Police Conduct Authority around the handling of Pert's killer, Tevita Mafi Filo, the night before he murdered her.
Filo was not arrested on January 6, the night before her death, despite being found stalking a couple and with a large knife in his possession.
The first complaint was laid with the IPCA last week, and now an ex-policeman and close friend of Pert laid a second complaint yesterday.
The man, who did not wish to be named, said: "I'm doing it for Jo, she was such a kind and caring person, I think she would expect this of me."
Tevita Mafi Filo was found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity. PHOTO/MICHAEL CRAIG
He said he had told Pert's parents, Kevin and Jan Pert, that he had laid the complaint but they were happy with the police's service.
He hoped the complaint would force police to re-examine their training and policies for front-line officers.
"It's not a witch hunt, I just want to make sure this doesn't happen again and I am coming from the point of view of someone who has been in one of those cars on the front line."
IPCA general manager Warren Young confirmed that both complaints had been laid and were being assessed.
The authority would then determine the next steps, he said.
Pert was killed on Shore Rd, Remuera, as she went for a morning jog.
Filo was found not guilty by reason of insanity for her murder and 12 other alleged crimes in the 17 hours before and after her death.
The charges include following a couple in their car from St Heliers to East Tamaki on January 6.
Detective Inspector Kevin Hooper told media the decision by those officers to not take him into custody was the right one.
"Police confiscated the [weapon] at the time and officers questioned him at length. They checked the police computer to see whether or not there were any alerts against his name. As we know now there were no alerts that Filo had any mental health issues or that he posed any danger to the public."
Hooper said based on the officers' assessment of the situation, they used their discretion and issued a roadside warning.
The next morning, he killed Pert because he believed he was following orders to get back to the "real world".
Justice Murray Gilbert found him not guilty by reason of insanity because he was incapable of understanding his actions were morally wrong due to his schizophrenia.
