An Upper Hutt police officer was justified in using his police dog against a man believed to be involved in a burglary, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has ruled.
In the incident, the man was bitten on the leg and needed eight days' treatment in hospital.
The authority's report says officers saw two people running away after a reported break-in at a shop in the early hours of the morning in June.
A police dog picked up a scent leading from the scene, caught up with the suspect and was found by his handler biting the man on the leg. A second person was arrested without injury.
The IPCA ruled there were reasonable gounds to suspect the two men's involvement and both men later admitted attempted burglary. Using a police dog to catch them was the only realistic option.
It says a subsequent claim the bitten man was punched by police was not supported by any evidence.
