An officer has been assaulted in West Auckland in what police have described as a brutal attack.
Police say two officers went to a property in the suburb of Massey early on Wednesday after a burglary was reported.
One of the officers located a suspect and was questioning him when he was punched 20 times in the face and suffered serious facial injuries.
The officer was taken to a North Shore hospital and has been released.
A 32-year-old man was arrested on theft and burglary charges after he was found at a West Harbour address.
The man will appear in the Waitakere District Court on Thursday and police have not ruled out additional serious assault charges being laid.
