A man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder following a vicious assault on a police officer in south Auckland on Saturday night.
The Police Association is now considering reviewing its policy of letting sergeants work alone.
In a separate incident in Hamilton today, an officer was pinned against a wall as he tried to recover a stolen vehicle from a fleeing driver.
"At a time that a lot of police officers are being attacked, this is a standout," says Police Association president Greg O'Connor. "This is an absolutely brutal attack."
Thirty-six-year-old Walter George Tauatevalu is charged with attempted murder after a policeman was bashed unconscious following a vehicle stop in Otara.
The Otara Rugby League Club, for whom Tauatevalu coaches an under-sevens kids team, is devastated over the charges.
Sergeant Simon Tate is in a stable condition in Auckland Hospital after a vicious and prolonged beating that left him with fractures to his eye sockets, cheekbones and significant injuries to his throat. 3 News spoke to his family today, who requested privacy until they know his long-term prognosis.
But Mr Tate's partner Constable Lisa Ross tells 3 News he is recovering well today.
"He is able to sit up and communicate with us," she says.
Mr Tate was working alone at the time, and the Police Association accepts it may need to review that policy.
"The best defence is of course to have two officers present," says Mr O'Connor.
Most frontline officers want to be armed, but Mr O'Connor says that wouldn't have helped in this case because Mr Tate was struck from behind.
3 News
source: newshub archive
