Police have raided a gang headquarters after attacks on two female officers at the Te Awamutu property.
One officer was allegedly indecently assaulted and another punched in the head while investigating complaints of a "rowdy party" at the Outcasts' Alexandra St headquarters on Saturday.
Western Waikato area controller Inspector Graham Matthews said
police were becoming increasingly concerned about the behaviour of gang members in the town.
"People in this town are sick and tired of the intimidation and the threatening behaviour that these people rely on to survive," he said.
Mr Matthews said residents often felt intimidated and scared by gang members and police were not going to stand for it.
"We want these people to know that we will not sit back and let this sort of thing happen," he said.
Mr Matthews said it was especially disturbing that two police officers had been targeted in an unprovoked attack.
The message to gang members was clear: "If you are going to break the law and cause mayhem, you can expect to get arrested."
The two officers went to the gang's premises at 11.45pm after complaints from neighbours about a party which had been going on all day.
They found about 40 broken bottles on the road outside the gang's pad.
After they went onto the property the officers were attacked by several men. They quickly retreated.
A Waikato police spokeswoman, Kris McGehan, said the two officers backed off because it was getting too dangerous.
She said police had not been concerned about the officers' safety when they sent them to the gang's pad.
"It wasn't seen as a dangerous situation," she said.
"They [the women officers] went in there to make initial inquiries and to tell them to clean up the bottles ... it wasn't a full-scale attack, 20 to 2.
"We wouldn't even send male staff in there alone if we thought it was dangerous."
Police did not return to the gang's property that night, deciding the better option was to raid it on Monday.
Up to 30 police staff were involved in the bust.
The Waikato armed offenders squad was put on standby, but not used.
A 31-year-old Te Awamutu man was charged with indecent assault and resisting arrest. He was due to appear in the Hamilton District Court yesterday.
A man who allegedly punched the other officer is yet to be found.
Ms McGehan said police did not find anything illegal at the gang headquarters.
The female officers, a sergeant and a constable, received minor injuries in the attack, but have returned to work.
Ms McGehan said police had on-going complaints from the public about the gang's "unruly behaviour" and partying.
- NZPA
