Rahui Katene seeking answers around Police shooting

Rahui Katene
MP for Te Tai Tonga
Maori Party Justice spokesperson
Tuesday 19 July 2011

Justice spokesperson for the Maori Party, Rahui Katene, will be approaching the Minister of Police, asking when the results of the investigations into the recent Taranaki shooting incident will be made public.

“Whanau members have raised concerns about the fatal shooting of Anthony Roydon Ratahi who was killed by police on Saturday morning”.

“They are seeking answers as to why it was necessary to shoot Mr Ratahi when there are other methods of control and restraint available; and particularly when it was evident he was struggling to fight off a police dog at the time of the shooting”.

“This was a tragic situation that played out over 13 hours. The whanau want to be assured that every opportunity to use non-lethal measures was taken up before the police resorted to using the gun as their weapon of choice”.

“The whanau are entitled to ask questions, and to have their privacy respected as they grieve over their family member”.

Mrs Katene will also be asking Minister Collins for an explanation of the protection measures placed around the woman taken as hostage in this event.

“I have read the comments from Acting District Commander Inspector Pat Handcock, that “Ratahi was, or posed, a very, very high risk to the victim”.

“I believe that all New Zealanders will want to be assured that every effort was made to maintain the absolute safety of the woman concerned in the nine days after Mr Ratahi was released from prison”.

“It is inappropriate to generalise, as Police Association spokesperson Greg O’Connor has, that “at least 99% of New Zealanders were fully supportive of police in their use of lethal force”.

“The feedback I have received suggests that people want to be assured that due process was followed; and the opportunity to ask questions and receive effective responses is an important means of retaining public confidence in the police” ended Mrs Katene.