A police officer was repeatedly punched in the head in a daylight attack that ended only when a member of the public stepped in.
The officer was patrolling the Orewa CBD about around 12.40pm when he stopped to speak to a man who was drinking whiskey from a bottle in an area with a liquor ban, police said.
When the man began swearing, in front of families with young children, the officer tried to arrest him.
The man ran off and the officer followed but a there was a struggle as the officer tried to restrain him and one of the man's associates joined in, punching the officer repeatedly in the head.
A member of the public who was driving past stopped his car and attempted to pull the attacker off the officer.