An Independent Police Conduct Authority report released today following a complaint from two ambulance officers has found that the force used by a Tauranga police officer on a 14-year-old boy was excessive and contrary to law.
Around 7:30pm on August 25, 2013 police were notified that a 14-year-old boy had run away from Tauranga hospital. This was the second time the boy had run from the hospital that evening after he was admitted earlier that day following a suicide attempt that had caused injury to his wrist.
Although the officer was entitled to use reasonable force to restrain the boy, the force used in putting the boy's arm up his back and choking him was excessive and contrary to law.
The same police officers who had located the boy earlier in the day were assigned to find him a second time. Just before 8pm the officers found the boy collapsed on Cameron Road.
As a precaution they called an ambulance so the boy could be assessed before he was taken back to hospital. The two ambulance officers arrived and the police officers accompanied the boy into the back of the ambulance for treatment.