Complaint over police actions

Police are investigating fellow officers after a complaint was laid against the way officers responded to an assault in Northland.

Police are investigating a claim of assault after a Whangarei woman accused officers of doing nothing to help teenagers at a birthday party when a man threatened to shoot them.

Whangarei woman Shannon Parker said she went to a house in Glenbervie on September 19 when her 17-year-old son called for help and said a man had chased him and others down a driveway, threatening to shoot them all.

He also said he was struck by the man in the chest after a celebration party for twin 17-year-old sisters turned sour about 10pm that night.

When Ms Parker, who administers the New Zealand Police Conduct Association website, went to the property she estimated up to 30 teenagers had spilled out on to Dickson Rd.

She said two officers arrived shortly after, followed by a sergeant who collected his own son and left.

"The kids were saying a man at the house had flipped out and chased them down the road saying he was going to shoot them all," Ms Parker said.

Her son told her he had been hit in the chest by a man and Ms Parker made a point of telling the officer at the scene to record her son's details in his notebook.

"The officers there really didn't seem to show a lot of care and did not follow procedures with the mention of a weapon," Ms Parker said.

She said it was now seven weeks since the incident. Her son had been interviewed four days after the alleged assault but there had been no update.

In a brief written statement, Area Commander Whangarei Kaipara Inspector Justin Rogers said an investigation into the incident and alleged assault was ongoing and a number of people who were at the party were yet to be spoken to.

Mr Rogers said a complaint regarding police actions on the night had been received and was being dealt with through the complaints process.

"Any issues regarding police actions that arise from the investigation will be addressed as an employment matter."

Police did not answer questions about the claims a senior police officer on duty at the time went to the party, collected his son and then left. Nor did they answer questions about how police dealt with the situation or if the man who allegedly threatened to shoot the partygoers and assaulted a teenager had been interviewed.

Ms Parker has lodged a formal complaint against the police, citing they had not treated the threat of a firearm seriously, failed to call for back-up and a senior policeman took his child and left.

She said the party had been well organised with written invitations required before the guests could enter. The amount of alcohol they brought was also checked.