The average police officer would rather be faced by a gang riot than an out-of-control group of white, middle-class teenagers, says Police Association president Greg O'Connor.
Commenting on police actions in clearing gatecrashers from a Mt Maunganui party, Mr O'Connor said young people innocent of any wrong-doing could find themselves falling foul of the law.
"I have no doubt that there were innocent parties that night. Maybe only a dozen of them were throwing bottles.
"What these kids don't understand is that by their mere presence they provide cover for those people. Then they get very, very surprised when police officers can't single them out. Admittedly, it becomes arbitrary."
Tauranga police are dealing with a number of complaints over the incident, during which at least one youth received serious police dog bites.
Mr O'Connor said white, middle-class teenagers were more difficult to deal with because they tended to refuse to cooperate. It was not uncommon for them to try to assert their rights rather than leave peacefully.
"That tends not to happen with people who live with more violence in their lives. They have better self-preservation - they can smell the violence coming.
"White middle-class kids don't have that instinct to get out at the right time."
A father himself, Mr O'Connor said he would also be horrified if his children came home injured. Parents needed to be aware that police did not go looking for parties, but were called by neighbours.
"I'm not justifying anything that may have happened. But many middle-class kids don't tell their parents what they have contributed to a situation."
- NZPA
Middle-class teenagers worst to handle: police
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