The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has concluded that officers’ use of force during the arrest of Faasala Samu Matue at Ōrere Point in March 2025 did not contribute to his death, although it found two instances of manual force were unjustified and criticised inappropriate comments made by officers at the scene.
The incident unfolded on 2 March 2025 after officers located a vehicle in the Papakura area believed to have been involved in two aggravated robberies in which a firearm had been presented. The vehicle was tracked to Ōrere Point, where it stopped on the beach.
According to the IPCA, one of the two occupants complied immediately with officers’ instructions. Mr Matue, however, allegedly confronted officers while armed with a metal pole, resisted arrest and continued to struggle despite multiple attempts to restrain him.
During the arrest, officers used a range of force options, including Tasers, pepper spray, physical restraint and a police dog. The watchdog found that most of those actions were justified given the circumstances, but determined that two uses of manual force exceeded what was necessary. It also found some officers made comments at the scene that were inappropriate and unprofessional.
The Authority said that once Mr Matue had been restrained, officers requested an ambulance in accordance with standard procedure following Taser deployments. While waiting for paramedics, officers provided first aid and moved him into a shaded area. His condition then deteriorated, prompting officers to insert a nasopharyngeal airway and later perform CPR until ambulance staff arrived. He died while in custody on the beach.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Matue died from methamphetamine intoxication after swallowing a large quantity of the drug. MDMA, cannabis and alcohol were also detected in his system. The examination concluded that the officers’ actions did not contribute to his death.
In response to the findings, Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray acknowledged the IPCA’s conclusions, describing the incident as a tragic outcome.
“The language and unjustified use of force identified in the report was unacceptable and a departure from our values,” Gray said.
He also noted that the officers involved remain employed, although he declined to comment on any employment processes that followed the incident. Gray thanked staff who responded to what he described as an “extremely volatile and confronting” situation and extended condolences to Mr Matue’s family.
The cops can run around stark naked, clucking like chooks, with a feather up their backsides and they’d still be cleared by the so called “independent” authority.
Right?! The nerve of those corrupt cops keeping MDMA- addled drunken meth heads off of our streets! What is this world coming to? For shame!
Just stick to the MSM mate. Oh and make sure you don’t attend any protests or you might get to find out how ‘safe” they keep New Zealand.
Their behaviour during the lockdown protests was enough to put me off supporting them forever. As was the way they ripped baby Will from his mother’s arms so some Auckland thunderc*nt doctor could flex her authority and give him vaccinated blood just to prove a point.
Sounds like they used the new accurate roadside drug test being everything came up positive.
There are certain police who like to think of themselves as belonging in the Wild West. Who performed the post-mortem ? Was it a police contractd pathologist ?
This guy had a metal pole. How many police tackled him ? And with all those tasers, pepper spay, police dog and other restraints; but the guy ends up dead from drugs ? ! Believe it or not, Ripley.
I very vaguely recall a case somewhere where and AOS member shot dead a man who had a hammer. The explanation went along these lines: AOS officer: he approached me with a hammer and I felt threatened. Q: so what was your reaction, Officer. A: I felt I had no alternative but to invoke self-protection and shot him dead. Q: how far away was he with the hammer when you shot him dead ? A: AOS Officer: I estimated he was 25meters away. Counsel: Oh really ! Great shot Officer.
I am a great supporter of our emergency services: especially the police, who do a wonderful job in very dangerous circumstances; not one I would like to or able to do. And Commissioner Chambers is the best Commissioner we have had in many years.
But over the last 20 years or so I have come to the suspect that the AOS has amongst its ranks some officers who are trigger-happy and, like the gun-slingers of the Wild West, they want to put a notch on their weapon.
Perhaps the “powers that be” need to trace the historical records, of AOS Officers in particular, to see if certain patterns exist.
The IPCA is long overdue for a rethink. It is a rare thing when police are referred to a proper High Court.
Alan Hall spent decades in prison because 2 cops and a lawyer decided to deliberately withhold evidence that proved him innocent. Like any business these policemen have managers called detective sergeants or a senior detective sergeant overseeing the evidence. These managers are just as guilty as these two cops.
The reason why I am so bent on this is because i saw it happen.Thankfully the lawyer was on to it. Skilfully asking questions circling around two set of statement. One hand written, the other typed. Complete opposite. You might say, well the man mgot off or he was vindicated. But that doesn’t address the cop who switch evidence or the overseeing senior detective sergeant. It doesn’t address the trauma people go through.
While on the stand, the once strong and confident detective paused to think of an answer. No words came out. The jury just looked at him.
The penalty for perjury is up to 7 years imprisonment. I think police who have switched, withheld or provided false evidence should face more serious consequences. 7 years as a starting point. Automatic full investigation by a senior barrister and not the independent police complaints authority. Those people are underfunded, not independent from government policy and completely overwhelmed.
The public expect a more robust and complete separation from police investigation when somthing like this happens. They simply are not getting justice. The police are not facing justice. People have lost faith in the inderpendant police complaints authority. Its had its day.
Incredibly triggering to watch this assault.