Foul-mouthed cop still at large
Feilding police say no-one recognises swearing policeman’s voice
POLICE SAY they are yet to identify an officer who was caught on tape letting rip with an expletive-laden tirade at a teenage driver.
The recording has been played to all staff at the Feilding police station and to some of those who may have been passing through the town, but no-one can recognise his voice, police say.
The incident, in which the officer calls the 16- year- old a ‘‘ dickhead’’ and repeatedly swears at him, is under investigation by police on behalf of the Independent Police Conduct Authority after a complaint from the young man’s family.
Dyllan Vaughan, an apprentice butcher from Foxton, was driving home from his work in Feilding on September 3 when the officer put on his lights and pulled him over in North St. Unbeknown to Vaughan, his iPhone was on and recording. He said he’d left it on after taping a song from the radio earlier.
The audio captures the exchange between the two, which begins with the officer demanding to see Vaughan’s licence and asking why he thinks he’s been pulled over, saying ‘‘Why’d I f.....g pull you over, dickhead?"
During the incident he
also
told Vaughan: ‘‘I catch you doing that sort of bullshit again and I’ll go over your car and I’ll find as much trouble as I can for you.’’
The teenager, who was in his mum’s car at the time, said he felt threatened and intimidated so decided to lay the complaint in the hope the officer would be censured.
However, Inspector Mark Harrison from the Palmerston North police said despite the voice on the recording being ‘‘ fairly distinctive’’ no- one had been able to identify him, and no-one had stepped forward.
‘‘We’ve interviewed all the staff that were working on that day and have played the tape to them,’’ Harrison said.
‘‘The next step will be talking to all individual staff members about if it’s them and if they can recognise the voice. It’s not something we can just dismiss.’’
Vaughan said he was disappointed noone had come forward. ‘‘ How many officers can possibly work in Feilding? I reckon they’re just trying to protect him.’’ His father, Peter Vaughan called police ‘‘incompetent’’. ‘‘You can’t tell me they can’t find him.’’
Vaughan said he and Dyllan had tried googling to look at photos of officers but couldn’t find him.
Police inquiries are continuing.