The ugly side of policing raised its head in Wanaka at the weekend when a sole-duty officer sought to contain a violent man believed to have been influenced by alcohol.
Senior Constable Ian Henderson said yesterday the help he received from two security guards in Post Office Lane about 2am yesterday while arresting the 25-year-old Wanaka man was ‘‘fantastic''.
The man has been in custody since his arrest and will appear in the Queenstown District Court today on three assault charges - two against the security guards and one against a police officer.
Snr Const Henderson said he was ‘‘very close to walking away'' and telling the communications centre he had had enough for the day.
‘‘This guy was extremely violent. His mates said he had only been drinking but I am not sure. He must have been on something. It was just an eye-opener. Anyone who stands and headbutts the steel cell door [at the police station] for an hour has got to be nuts. It was scary.''
The man had also headbutted a police car windscreen, he said.
The two security guards had called police after the man gained entry to the bars in Post Office Lane by jumping a fence. After the security guards asked him to leave, he allegedly struck and headbutted the security guards, causing facial injuries to both men.
The man tried to headbutt Snr Const Henderson but missed. The officer was not injured.
Despite banging his head on various things, the accused man did not appear to have injured himself and no medical attention was requested, the officer said.
Snr Const Henderson started work at 4pm on Saturday and was on duty until 6am yesterday. He was called back to work at 7am to help a woman who had lost her way in Plantation Rd and then spent time arranging the transfer of the arrested man to Queenstown before beginning his rostered duties again at 4pm.
‘‘The ongoing issues of staffing Friday and Saturday night has popped its ugly head up again,'' he said.
Other incidents over the weekend included:
- A 22-year-old Wanaka woman was arrested and charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol limit of 846mcg at 3am on Saturday at Willowridge.
- A 66-year-old Alexandra angler was found safe and well in a mountain hut by the Cochrane family, of Hunter Valley Station, at 1am yesterday, after the angler's wife reported the man was overdue. Snr Const Henderson said the angler ‘‘ran out of light'' but did not have any communications equipment with him. Const Mike Johnston was called in to run the search and rescue operation.
