Police officer knelt on drunk man's head, cracked his teeth on footpath

The police watchdog has found an officer used excessive and unjustified force on a drunk and aggressive man. Photo / Bevan Conley

By RNZ

The police watchdog has found an officer used excessive and unjustified force on a drunk and aggressive man by kneeling on his head and cracking his teeth on the pavement.

However, the Bay of Plenty officer has not been charged, despite an independent body finding the actions legally unjustified.

The intoxicated man had a self-inflicted injury, and became aggressive toward police while waiting for an ambulance. Several officers used force to restrain him and get him to the ground.

Once he was already restrained and lying prostrate on the ground, an officer knelt on the back of the man's head, put pressure on his head by putting his weight on his knee, thereby breaking some of the man's teeth on the pavement.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority found this was excessive, and not justified.

However, police decided not to charge the officer, and instead dealt with the matter through an internal employment process.

The man did not want to take the matter any further. The IPCA agrees with the way police handled their investigation.