Police acknowledge the findings of an Independent Police Conduct Authority report into a death of a man while in Police custody in June last year.
Acting Superintendent Sunny Patel, Auckland City District Commander, says around 6pm on 24 June 2023, Police located a man at a Mt Roskill intersection acting erratically and trying to open car doors.
“The man was arrested and transported to the Auckland Custody Unit (ACU), and an ambulance was requested to meet them there to assess the man.”
Police acknowledge the IPCA’s findings that it was appropriate for the arresting officers to take the man to the custody unit first to be assessed by ambulance staff.
“On arrival to the ACU, staff noticed that the man also had serious injuries. After being advised that an ambulance was delayed, Police made the decision to transport the man to hospital, but he became unresponsive while in the patrol car,” Acting Superintendent Patel says.
“An officer started performing chest compressions, however upon arriving at the hospital, the man was unable to be resuscitated.”
Acting Superintendent Patel says the IPCA also found Police and custody staff cared well for the man while he was in our custody and that Police did not breach the People in Police Custody policy, nor our overarching duty of care towards the man.
“The management of people in our care is something we take very seriously, no matter the circumstances,” Acting Superintendent Patel says.
Acting Superintendent Patel says Police take people into custody every day and they are more often than not, held without incident.
“This was a tragic incident, and my deepest sympathies remain with this man’s family.”
Police have accepted further recommendations made by the Authority around wider policy and training considerations, and these have been implemented.
