As stated by Southern District Commander Superintendent Jason Guthrie:
Police acknowledge the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), which found an off-duty officer was justified in his use of force but that his intervention breached Police policy.
Anti-social road user behaviour causes significant distress and damage in our communities, and in this case, our officer intended to hold an alleged offender accountable for their actions.
While the officer was justified in impounding a vehicle that had caused damage to a local golf course, and in restraining and handcuffing the suspect, we acknowledge and accept the Authority’s finding that the officer breached Policy in doing so.
Learnings have been taken from this event, but it is important to note that rural officers operate in complex environments, most of the time with minimal close support. It is accepted the off-duty intervention was in this case technically a breach of policy, however the intervention evolved from unexpected circumstances, and the officers’ actions were in good faith to apprehend and hold an alleged offender to account.
