A man was shot on State Highway 1 north of Auckland after coming at police with a machete.
Sensible Sentencing Trust founder Garth McVicar has been criticised after congratulating police for shooting and killing a man.
McVicar took to Facebook yesterday to praise police after the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old east Auckland man after a police chase on State Highway 1 near Pohuehue yesterday morning.
His postread: "One less to clog the prisons! Congratulations to the New Zealand Police, our thoughts are with the officer who was forced to take this action to protect the public."
McVicar founded the Sensible Sentencing in 2001. The charitable trust is said to support victims of serious violent and/or sexual crime and homicide.
Glenn Jeffrey, of New Plymouth, contacted the Herald to voice his disgust at the post.
"My daughter was a victim of a horrific crime so I find Garth McVicar's statement to be abhorrent and I believe the Sensible Sentencing Trust should have its charitable status reassessed because of these comments.
"I am appalled that a fellow New Zealander has these opinions and the support he has received on his page is really scary," he said.
Most responders to the post have harshly criticised McVicar's stance. Only a few support his message.
Garth McVicar, the founder of the Sensible Sentencing Trust. Photo / Supplied
One poster said: "I respect the police but there's no cause to rejoice at the death".
Others said he should be ashamed of himself and the comment was "totally inappropriate".
"The use of deadly force unfortunately is sometimes necessary/required but to suggest it should be 'congratulated' is appalling - especially given we as yet have no idea as to the facts of the case / circumstances of the individual involved whose family who are no doubt mourning his death," one person wrote.
One responder even said McVicar appeared to have "become the abuser" in his stance.
"I think you need to step away from your crusade, you are now becoming the abuser.
"Have you considered the family and friends of the deceased having to read this. Take a look at your mob that follow you now jumping in and attacking the deceased," he said.
A few commenters supported McVicar's message, stating "bloody good call" and that police had "saved the hard working taxpayer thousands of dollars".
McVicar told the Herald he was happy his Facebook comment had caused debate on the issue.
"As an organisation that is leading the debate on crime and victims in this country, I think it is up to us to give out on these issues," he said.
"It is time as a nation that we spark a debate about why we have these problems in society. If me being provocative sparks that debate, then great, I am happy to wear the brunt of that."
He said he felt sorry for the police officers that had to take the action.
"Police had to make a decision based on the fact they were faced with a guy with a machete and a police officer could have lost his life. They don't take it lightly and they have to live with the consequences.
"I am pleased it wasn't a police officer who lost his life," he said.
A Department of Internal Affairs spokesman said it had not received any official complaints.
"But if it were to receive one we would go through our standard process of assessing to see if there were any grounds under the Charities Act to undertake an investigation," he said.
