An attack on a Dunedin police officer during which people stood around and watched has been labelled by police as cowardly and disgusting.
It adds to an escalating list of assaults on police officers thoughout the country - including some involving firearms.
The experienced officer was carrying out routine inquiries when she stopped to remonstrate with a group of youths she saw behaving obscenely in Forth St about 9.15pm on Thursday.
Senior Sergeant Mel Aitken, of Dunedin, told the Otago Daily Times that as the 42-year-old officer stepped from her vehicle, she was grabbed by one of the youths and slammed into a wooden fence at least four times.
Her radio was ripped from her belt so she could not call for assistance and when she sought help from the eight people watching, they told her they were not going to help a "cop".
"They told her: `This is how we treat cops in the North Island'. It's just despicable."
Those watching egged on the attacker and yelled out a warning as the officer reached for her pepper spray.
The incident ended when the main offender allegedly went to hit the officer and one of the group finally intervened. At that point, the officer was able to reach her radio and call for assistance.
The group dispersed, but a 19-year-old male who had allegedly been watching the incident was arrested shortly afterwards. He was given police bail after he was charged with failing to assist a police officer.
While not seriously injured, the officer was badly shaken by the incident and received extensive bruising, Snr Sgt Aitken said.
Police were following a positive line of inquiry on at least five other youths involved in the incident.
The officer in charge of frontline police in Dunedin, Inspector Alastair Dickie, said he was disgusted by what had happened.
"It's a cowardly sort of approach, especially when it's a female officer on her own. It's very disappointing that no-one stepped in to offer [the officer] any assistance."
The incident follows several high-profile attacks on police officers over the past few weeks.
Last weekend in Christchurch, a police officer was ambushed by boy racers in Christchurch, pelted with bottles and had the windows of his patrol car smashed by air-rifle pellets.
On Monday, police officers were shot at near Palmerston by a couple who failed to stop when requested. The incident led to an armed offenders squad stand-off before the pair were arrested.
Last month, police in Auckland were repeatedly fired upon during a motorway chase in an incident that led to the death of an innocent bystander, 17-year-old Tongan courier driver Halatau Naitoko.
Inspector Alastair Dickie said Thursday's incident was unusual for Dunedin and he did not have any wider concerns about officers patrolling alone in the city.
It is understood the men had been working in a shearing gang in the Heriot area.
