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Home / Investigation Reports & Media / 2025-summaries-of-police-investigations

Inappropriate use of pepper spray by a Bay of Plenty officer

2 October 2025

The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into an allegation that an on-duty Police officer deployed pepper spray directly into the face of another on-duty Police officer.

The officers were supervisors, working together and engaged in friendly banter. While joking around, one officer pointed his pepper spray at the second officer’s face. The second officer says he leaned forward and said something like, “Go on then, I want to see what it’s like”, at which point the first officer sprayed him. The second officer says although he made a joke of it, he didn’t actually expect to be sprayed.

The spray hit the second officer directly in the eyes. He received first aid care from both the first officer and another officer, including wet towels, an aftercare spray for his eyes, and an inhaler to assist his breathing. While there was prolonged discomfort, no significant harm was caused.

Police determined that the matter was an error in judgement that could best be dealt with by way of an employment process. We agreed with that outcome.

IPCA: 25-26963

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