Media releases 2026

At around 3.30am on Monday, 8 September 2025, a Police officer shot and killed Thomas Phillips in the King Country. Police had sought Mr Phillips since December 2021 when he disappeared with his children.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found a Police motorcycle officer was not justified in pursuing a man on a motorcycle in Auckland on the morning of 13 July 2023. The man died when he hit a lamppost in Greenhithe, after being pursued at high speeds for 11km.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that the force used by a Police officer involved in arresting a man in Whangārei was unjustified.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that the multiple uses of force by Police arresting a man at Ōrere Point, Auckland, did not contribute to his death a short time later.

The IPCA has received complaints which concern the Commissioner of Police. These are being investigated by the IPCA and Police. We are actively overseeing the Police component of the investigation; this includes ensuring the integrity of the investigation is maintained.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that Police were unjustified in issuing a Police Safety Order (PSO) against a woman in Counties Manukau who was protected by a Temporary Protection Order (TPO). The Authority also found Police failed to serve the TPO in a timely manner.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that Police in Central District were unjustified and acted unlawfully in issuing a Police Safety Order (PSO) against a father and using it to remove his child from his care on 10 December 2024.

 The Authority received four complaints from parents and guardians about Police placing their children or young people in the care of others without their consent. As the complaints raised similar issues, we decided to investigate them together. We will not be publishing a full report but have prepared a detailed media statement setting out our findings and recommendations. We expected Police would benefit from clearer guidance when they come across unaccompanied children and young people in situations where specific legislation does not apply, and we have made recommendations to this effect.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that failures by Police led to a pursuit in Rotorua on 31 October 2024. The pursuit ended in a crash where the 15-year-old fleeing driver died.