Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
Police officers breached policy during a pursuit of a motorbike that ended in a fatal crash in Christchurch, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has found.
On 20 August, a motorcyclist who was travelling more than double the 50 kmph speed limit on Edgeware Rd, went through a red light and collided with a car while fleeing police.
The motorcyclist died and the driver of the car had moderate injuries.
Police officers had earlier signalled the motorcyclist to stop at about 11.40pm after observing his speed, but he accelerated away from them.
The IPCA said the officers pursued the man for 12-14 seconds, and turned off their lights and sirens moments before he rode through a red traffic light and crashed into the side of a car that had entered the intersection from his left.
The motorcyclist was travelling more than 115 kmph before the crash.
The IPCA found that the officers were legally justified in signalling the motorcyclist to stop and that the officers' actions were not the cause of the crash.
But it found the officers should not have pursued the motorcyclist once he failed to stop, and they breached police's fleeing driver policy by doing so.
While police were catching up to the motorcyclist, they should have activated the police car's lights and siren to warn any motorists or pedestrians, the IPCA said.
The IPCA recommended police amend the fleeing policy to include that motorcyclists should only be pursued in the most extreme circumstances after carefully weighing up options including the seriousness of any alleged offending, the risks they pose and additional risks a pursuit may have.
It also recommended if a motorcyclists flees when signalled to stop and a pursuit begins the emergency communications centre must be notified.
Police have acknowledged and accepted the findings of the IPCA.
"I would like to extend my condolences to the family and loved ones of the man who died in this crash," Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill said.
"As stated by the IPCA, the officers' actions did not put the rider in an invidious position.
"While this was a tragic outcome that no officer wants, I believe the officers did the right thing in signalling the rider to stop given the excessive speed of the motorcyclist in a residential neighbourhood."
Hill said the rider not only put themselves in harm's way but also posed a significant risk to the community.
He noted the IPCA's recommendations.
It is the second IPCA report released on Thursday which covered a fatal crash after a motorcycle pursuit.
In the other finding, the IPCA said police should not have pursued a speeding motorcyclist in Whakatāne.
An officer caught the Harley Davidson motorcycle travelling at 115kmph in a 60kmph zone just before 6pm on 16 March this year.
After 5km the pursuit was abandoned - but just a kilometre further along the motorcycle attempted to pass a car on a sweeping bend and collided head-on with an oncoming car.
The police watchdog found the officer was legally justified in signalling for the motorcyclist to stop, but did not properly follow the fleeing driver policy by initiating the pursuit.
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