Extra police resource called to Whanganui in the wake of the shooting of Kevin Ratana in August last year cost more than $80,000 in the first two weeks.
Ratana, a father of two and patched Mongrel Mob member, was shot at his home in Puriri St on August 21.
Extra police officers, along with the police Eagle helicopter, were brought into Whanganui as part of the investigation as fears of a gang retaliation escalated with the arrival of about 100 Mongrel Mob members from out of town for Ratana's tangi.
![The cost of using the police Eagle helicopter during the Kevin Ratana homicide investigation is not known.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/L25ZDRYBH4KKBO5TKLO6ALQSHY.jpg?auth=264c0d9fc064f47c02e40ae7aa5ced39db8e4b763d645e86a5f62f28b02112f8&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Initial requests to the police for information on costs were declined under section 6(c) of the Official Information Act which allows information to be withheld if it would likely prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial.