11 Aug 2020

Police tasering of man three times during arrest justified - IPCA

11:03 am on 11 August 2020

Police have been found to be justified in tasering an aggressive man three times and pepper spraying him twice while he resisted arrest.

Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

However, an investigation found the officers could have used less force to arrest him if it was better managed.

An Independent Police Conduct Authority report found the man started swinging his arms and punched one officer in the head during an arrest.

Another tried to subdue him with pepper spray and a taser, neither of which worked, before two more taser shots allowed him to be placed in handcuffs.

The report found the group of six officers were insufficiently experienced, with the most senior of them two-and-a-half years on the job.

It found police should have had a more experienced officer in charge of the team.