Police launch review after fourth prisoner escapes

Police have launched a review of their custody and transport procedure after a fourth prisoner escaped while under their charge. 

Police commissioner Mike Bush announced the review on Friday saying police manage tens of thousands of prisoner movements every year and most are completed without any issues. 

"Our staff go to work every day to keep the community safe and I want to be sure that the procedures and policies we have in place in regard to the custody and transport of prisoners is fit for purpose and mitigates the risks both to staff and the public," said Bush.

A man escaped police custody at Rotorua Hospital on Friday after being arrested that morning. 

This followed three men escaping from police in Levin earlier in the week, they are still at large. 

Wiremu Eparaima, 30, Te Wera Hemara, 27, and Emmanuel Witana, 23, were being placed in to transport at Levin District Court when "an offender restrained one of the officers in order to aid in the escape of three other offenders" police said in a statement earlier in the week. 

Bush said when things go wrong the police need to learn from  it and make changes to ensure it doesn't happen again. 

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