Police put people in danger during car chase on Auckland's motorways

An independent investigation has found police put lives in danger when they rammed a car during a chase on Auckland's North Shore.

Police put the public in danger when they repeatedly crashed into a car to stop it during a chase last year.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority investigated the chase, which began after a Honda driver failed to stop at a checkpoint on Auckland's North Shore in the early hours of September 3 last year.

The IPCA found that during the chase along the Southern and Southwestern motorways police "repeatedly failed to comply with aspects of the fleeing driver policy" when they rammed the car with five occupants inside.

The pursuit controller authorised officers to use "reasonable force" to arrest the driver. Two officers then intentionally rammed the Honda with their cars.

The IPCA found that the controller was wrongly told that the Honda had rammed a police car, and was not told that six police cars were following it.

After a 40-minute chase, the Honda stopped on the Southern Motorway, near Skipton St in Mangere East, and the five occupants fled on foot. All five were arrested.

Auckland City district commander Superintendent Karyn Malthus said an internal investigation was done in addition to the independent report.

She said the outcome of the internal investigation would not be released.

"A number of lessons have been learned and we continue to provide training and information to our staff to enable them to make better decisions when dealing with a fleeing driver," she said.

"Police also note the IPCA's recommendation in relation to the identification of individuals driving police vehicles."

IPCA chairman, Sir David Carruthers, found that the pursuit should not have continued in the manner that it did and should have been abandoned.

"Officers repeatedly put the occupants of the Honda and other road users at unjustified risk due to their actions in making contact with the Honda and following it on the side of the road," he said.