Police acknowledge and accept the findings of the Independent Police Conduct Authority into unjustified use of a Police dog in Foxton last year.

The incident on 4 October saw a vehicle fleeing Police which contained two people, Ms X and Mr Y.

While the vehicle was not pursued, Police followed it to a rural location at Foxton Beach, and a Police dog was used to track the occupants of the car who fled on foot.

The pair were challenged by the dog handler to stop, and when they continued to move away, the handler released the dog.

Ms X was bitten on the leg and needed surgery for serious injuries caused as a result. Mr Y surrendered to Police soon after without incident.

Ms X was not in the sight of the dog at the point of release, which is Police policy.

Central District Commander Superintendent Scott Fraser says these situations are typically very fast-moving, with officers needing to consider a range of critical information all at once.

“We back and train our staff to make the best possible decisions in the moment, in what is often a split-second,” Superintendent Fraser says.

In this instance, Police acknowledge that releasing the dog without knowing if Ms X was the driver or passenger, and without confirmation that the dog had the correct target in its sights, posed a real risk.

“Our staff were focused on apprehending two people in a vehicle that had refused to stop for Police and fled.

“However, occasionally the decisions we make can have unfortunate impacts like in this incident, where someone who was not a significant offender or risk is badly injured,” Superintendent Fraser says.

Police agrees with the IPCA that while releasing the dog was not justified, using the dog to help track and then arrest the pair would have been.
 

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