Officer keen to return to work

Police Minister Judith Collins. Photo / Daily Post

A Wairoa policeman attacked by two men in Mahia on Boxing Day is keen to get back to his job, Police Minister Judith Collins says.

The constable became the fourth officer to be bashed on the job this month after he stopped two men suspected of carrying out a series of burglaries on the East Coast.

Ms Collins told Radio New Zealand this morning she had spoken to the officer in hospital and he was in good spirits.

"He was still keen to get back to work although he was told to take a couple of weeks off," she said.

Hawke's Bay Today reported the two alleged offenders, aged 25 and 26, were remanded in custody after appearing in Gisborne District Court on Tuesday facing charges of aggravated injuring, assaulting police, resisting police, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, escaping police custody and possessing an offensive weapon. Further more serious charges are likely to follow.

Police said the constable was attacked stopped a car that was reported stolen from Mahia.

The officer's injuries would have been much worse but for two off duty police officers and members of the public coming to his aid.

Also on Boxing Day a Hamilton policeman was attacked by two teenagers armed with a machete and a knife when he went to a house at Pukete, north of Hamilton, after reports of people fighting with weapons.

Two boys, aged 14 and 16, appeared in Hamilton Youth Court yesterday accused of attempted murder and were remanded to a "secure house" in Rotorua until their next appearance at the end of the month.

Two weeks earlier Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, of Waiouru, was attacked from behind with a machete before being left for dead on the side of the road after he pulled over a stolen car on December 11.

He had a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and jaw, broken front teeth, cuts to his face, skull, arms and hands and a massive gash running around his forehead to his ear.

Two teenagers, aged 14 and 18, are in custody facing attempted murder charges.

In another Boxing Day attack, a police officer was set on by two teenage boys as he tried to arrest another teenager during a fight at Matauri Bay, 120km north east of Whangarei.

One teen has been charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and the other with assault with intent to injure and aggravated assault.

The attacks have sparked debate into police access to firearms and whether officers should attend callouts alone.

However Ms Collins said Police Commissioner Howard Broad told her there were not the staff resources to change police policy.

"We wouldn't be able to operate one-man stations - and even two-man stations - as they do know," she told Radio New Zealand.

She said the Government was dedicated to improving police access to firearms. Mr Broad's report into firearm access for police is due to come out after the new year.

- NZHERALD STAFF with NZPA