Waikato police will not apologise for arresting an "irrational and emotional'' Chinese woman in a Hamilton supermarket car park, after an internal investigation found officers acted professionally.
Naiju Li, 56, claimed she was assaulted by police staff on February 1 after they slammed her face to the ground and dislocated her elbow when they tried to arrest her. She lodged a formal complaint asking for an apology.
But Waikato superintendent Win van der Velde said this afternoon an internal investigation, which included interviewing 18 members of the public who witnessed the scene and seven staff who were involved, found the situation was exacerbated by a language barrier, and the woman was irrational and emotional.
He said the public sightings confirmed his staff's reports that the woman became upset after realising her car had been towed because it had been in the carpark for more than two hours.
As Mrs Li was leaving the Countdown supermarket at 12.40pm she discovered her car had been towed and challenged supermarket staff before approaching the tow truck manager and operator who had returned to remove another car.
It was then alleged that she removed the keys from the truck's ignition and tried to take a mobile phone from the cab. She then climbed on to the back of the tow truck and was sitting there preventing the truck from operating.
When two young policemen arrived about 10 minutes later they talked Mrs Li down and took her to the police car, where they tried to contact the woman's sister to act as a translator.
But Mrs Li tried to return to the supermarket where she had been refused entry and the police officer then decided to arrest her and take her back to the police station.
"On taking Mrs Li's wrist, the police officer believed Mrs Li attempted to bite him and on doing so he took her to the ground to handcuff her.''
Mr van der Velde refuted claims officers had rugby tackled her.
He said police got Mrs Li medical treatment, both at the carpark when they realised she had a cut on her face and back at the police station when they discovered her elbow injury.
Mr van der Velde said he had met Mrs Li this afternoon to explain the events, which he believed had been misinterpreted due to the language barrier.
Waikato police are also planning to set up an Ethnic Advisory Board to see if there is a way similar events could be handled better. Mrs Li had previously denied provoking the situation.
The police findings will be handed to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, which is also investigating the matter.
- Nikki Preston of the NZ Herald
