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Home / Outcomes / 2018-19 Summaries of Police Investigations

Failures in handling of arrested person's property

23 July 2019

The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into a complaint where it was alleged that Police in Canterbury District failed to return property seized from a man's car during his arrest. The man was released from prison the following year and found that Police had given his property to someone else. Police also found that staff involved had seized some of the property from the car unnecessarily, and that they had failed to identify whether each item seized belonged to the man or his passenger.

Police apologised to the man and agreed on a financial settlement with him regarding his property. The staff involved were held to account and received further training on property handling.

The Authority's final review of the Police investigation agreed with the finding and the outcome.

IPCA: 17-1874


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