A woman illegally stopped and searched in the Urewera raids says she hopes heads roll at police headquarters.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) on Wednesday released a long-awaited report into the raids. It found that officers unlawfully detained people at five properties, set up illegal road blocks at Ruatoki and Taneatua in the Bay of Plenty and intimidated innocent residents, including children.
The authority said it received multiple complaints about 'Operation Eight' which began in late 2005 and ended on 15 October 2007 with the coordinated execution of 41 search warrants throughout the country and the establishment of the road blocks at Ruatoki and Taneatua.
The IPCA has found that, as a whole, the operation was reasonable and necessary, but faults police for several shortcomings. It has made seven recommendations - chiefly that police re-engage and build bridges with Bay of Plenty iwi Ngai Tuhoe.
Authority chairman Judge Sir David Carruthers says the IPCA scrutinised police actions at 11 properties that were searched after people from three different addresses complained that they and others had been personally searched.
Mere Nuku was pulled over at a road block and had her car and laptop searched without explanation on 15 October 2007.
She told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme on Wednesday that police didn't tell her what was happening and it was scary to be ordered around by armed officers whose faces were covered in masks.
Ms Nuku says now that she knows what happened was illegal, she would like to see senior officers reprimanded. "I would expect a whole lot of heads to roll from the top - the very top."
Irene Williams told Checkpoint she was detained at gunpoint on the lawn outside her workplace that day and told to lie face-down for three to four hours. She was neither arrested or charged, nor told that she was free to leave.
She says her husband and son were also detained, and although her son was charged with firearms offences, they were later dropped.
Ms Williams complained to the IPCA on behalf of people in the Ruatoki community. She says people are upset, considering legal action and want compensation from police.
Tuhi Ruaawai's house was searched and his family detained. He says the IPCA report is too vague and each family will have to decide if they will pursue police any further.
Commissioner happy to go to Ruatoki
Peter Marshall. Photo: NZ POLICE
Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said on Wednesday there will be no disciplinary action for any of the officers involved because staff acted professionally and in good faith on the day.
However, Mr Marshall accepts the IPCA report's criticisms and acknowledges illegality in some parts of the raids. He told Checkpoint he will go to Ruatoki at whatever time suits people to talk with them, and already spoken to several senior Tuhoe leaders.
"They've said, 'Listen, just give us a little bit of space - we need to work out what we actually want to do first. We certainly would encourage that in due course'. And I'm waiting for that - more than happy to."
Mr Marshall apologised to any innocent people caught up in the raids, but defended the use of road blocks, saying police did have concerns about a group of people in the area when they set up them up.
"Police don't go in there with any malice - they went in there with a view to being extraordinarily safe. Each case is on its own merits. We deal with thousands of taskings every day, every week. We make good judgements. This one, we got it wrong."
Tame Iti to seek compensation
Eighteen people were arrested on 15 October 2007. Four ended up standing trial and were convicted of firearms charges including Tuhoe activist Tame Iti.
Tame Iti served a third of his sentence. Photo: RNZ
Mr Iti served a third of his two-and-a-half-year sentence and was released from jail in February this year. His lawyer, Russell Fairbrother, says his client intends to seek compensation from the police.
Mr Fairbrother says people stopped at the road blocks and anyone unlawfully detained in their homes would also be able to seek redress.
"The police could be expected to enter into negotiations to settle this if people don't seek outrageous amount of damages, then I think we could all avoid going to court.
"I think the first thing is for the claims to be articulated in a letter to the police, pointing to the areas in the IPCA report which justify those claims, and then start a dialogue and negotiate a settlement."
Tame Iti says it's a relief that the independent report has been released because the community can now consider its next move.
Arrogance shown to a peaceful people - Williams
A lawyer who complained to the Independent Police Conduct Authority says the raids report shows that officers acted illegally and arrogantly towards a community of peaceful people.
Peter Williams, QC, who acted on behalf of people in Tuhoe territory, says officers ordered people out of their cars and interrogated them, and innocent people whose homes were searched were intimidated and terrified.
Mr Williams says the people of Ruatoki are ordinary, decent people who have been treated in a shocking manner.
He says police have breached the law and there should be some kind of compensation or settlement, such as a donation to the community of a library for the children.
