Members of the public, pepper spray and a Taser were needed to stop an assault against a police officer in Alexandra on Saturday morning, police say.
Police were called to the Rock Bar and Grill in Alexandra about 2am on Saturday after reports of a ''puffed up'' patron, Acting Senior Sergeant Jared Kirk said.
The man allegedly struck the attending officer, causing minor injuries.
Members of the public then intervened to protect the officer and another officer was called to the scene, Snr Sgt Kirk said.
''The male was aggressive and abusive and subsequently [pepper ]sprayed,'' he said.
''It had a minimal effect and he was subsequently tasered.''
It is the latest in a string of assaults on Southern police.
In December, a man kicked a police officer and broke a patrol car window after police were called to a domestic incident in Brockville, Dunedin.
Earlier that month, two police officers were assaulted in the Octagon while trying to arrest a 19 year old Dunedin man who breached his bail conditions.
A male and a female officer were assaulted in the Octagon in early December, in a ''cowardly and disgraceful'' attack.
Alcohol was a factor in many of the incidents, as it was on Saturday morning, but there was no excuse for such behaviour, Snr Sgt Kirk said.
''Any incident where an officer is injured is unacceptable.''
• A 36 year old Alexandra man will appear in the Alexandra District Court today facing two charges of assaulting police, one of disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence and another of resisting arrest.
