Firemen save cop from 5-man beating
Courageous volunteers and passers-by intervene but big crowd just watches
VOLUNTEER FIREMEN, led by Callan Stewart, have been hailed for their bravery after coming to the rescue of a police officer who was being ‘‘ ferociously’’ attacked by five men.
Perry Griffin, the lone rural constable at the Waikato coastal town of Kawhia, was attacked and lost his Taser and a pistol during a prolonged attack that ended only when Stewart and his mates from the Kawhia Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to an emergency call from Auckland after no back-up police could be found for Griffin.
Griffin had gone to arrest a 19-year-old, who was wanted on outstanding warrants, shortly before 6pm on Friday. The father of the teen, 49, attacked Griffin, who used pepper spray to no effect. He then turned to his Taser, which he managed to fire, allowing him to begin handcuffing one of the men. But he was then struck from behind and knocked to the ground, and his Taser was thrown in the water.
‘‘The officer has been kicked on the ground by a group of what we estimate to be five people and he has crawled into a ball,’’ said the district’s acting commander, Inspector Rob Lindsay.
Police described the attack as ‘‘ ferocious’’ and said around 80 people simply stood there and watched.
Griffin was also armed with a pistol but that was knocked away from him during the fight. ‘‘Fortunately for all concerned a member of the public recovered the officer’s pistol,’’ Lindsay said.
Griffin pressed his officer safety alarm that warned control centres an officer was down but the nearest police, in Cambridge, were on a job at Ngahinapouri – 70km away.
Staff at Auckland’s Northern Communications Centre called up the Kawhia Volunteer Fire Brigade, let by Stewart.
Lindsay said the policeman was still on the ground being attacked when the fire brigade arrived. Members of the public then also intervened.
Waikato District fire commander Roy Breeze said ‘‘a tense and frightening situation’’ was brought under control because the people involved on both sides knew each other.
‘‘In the end everyone did what they could to restore calm and I commend my
The officer has asked me to acknowledge on his behalf the bravery shown by the firefighters and members of the public.
guys under the direction of Callan in assisting the police officer.’’
Kit Jeffries – an elected member of the Kawhia Community Board – last night also applauded Stewart’s quick thinking and bravery.
He said Griffin, who started work in Kawhia in 2010, was ‘‘a good fella’’ who served the community well.
‘‘He is a very keen outdoors guy; he loves fishing and does a bit of pighunting. And he has a lovely family . . . his wife and kids are lovely people.
‘‘He certainly didn’t deserve that sort of treatment. It is a bloody shame that it has happened.’’
Griffin has temporarily left Kawhia with his family to recover.
‘‘He has some severe bruising around his body and his head to the extent that this morning [ Saturday] he is having trouble walking,’’ Lindsay said.
Griffin was examined at the scene by ambulance staff and a local doctor and will undergo further medical examinations and police interviews today.
‘‘The officer has asked me to acknowledge on his behalf the bravery shown by the firefighters and members of the public whose direct action prevented what could have been a far more serious outcome,’’ Lindsay said. ‘‘It is these people who are the true spirit of the Kawhia community.’’
An experienced rider, Griffin has acted as a mounted officer at special events in Hamilton in the past and helped lead the successful rescue of a female orca stranded in the estuary.
Three people, including the father and son and a 21-year-old, appeared in court yesterday facing charges of aggravated assault and assault with intent to injure, but at least two more of the attackers remain at large.
Describing the attack as vicious and cowardly, Lindsay said the Kawhia community holds the key in identifying those other two.
But one Kawhia resident, who did not wish to be named, said ‘‘nobody is speaking’’ about the incident for fear of retribution.
‘‘ It is disgusting to think that a wonderful man like our local police officer would be set upon like that,’’ she said.
‘‘He’s a nice guy, a good guy – a real good cop.’’ But, she said: ‘‘ We know that locals were involved but everyone knows everyone here – so no one is saying much.’’
Jeffries said there was growing concern in the seaside settlement about the conduct of some locals.
‘‘ There are a few guys in Kawhia who are really into drugs and alcohol . . . some of them are actually of an older age group too, which is quite disturbing, you would think some of them would have more brains to teach the younger ones some common sense,’’ he said.