A police officer has been stood down as he faces charges of trying to cover up a firearms crime by his partner.
The officer appeared in court last month on charges of willfully attempting to defeat the course of justice, being an accessory to aggravated assault and being an accessory to unlawful carrying of a firearm, The Sunday Star Times reported .
The charges are believed to relate to an incident in January, when the officer and his partner had an "incensed" meeting with their council over resource consent for their rural property.
Police confirmed the officer, a dog handler, had been suspended, but would not give further details.
He was due to appear in court again this month.
