The Independent Police Conduct Authority has ruled officers were justified for deploying spikes following a pursuit of three teens who died after their stolen car rolled over the spikes.
Glenn Mcallister, 16, was driving the car with his 13-year-old brother, Craig, and a friend, Brooklyn Taylor, 13, when they hit the police spikes and crashed into a tree, causing a “ball of fire” in Christchurch in January, 2019.
Police ran to the vehicle but due to the intensity of the fire, they weren't able to save the three teens.
The stolen vehicle was running red lights and traveling at speeds of over 130km/h in a 60km/h zone, but the police pursuit lasted for just over a minute before it was initially abandoned for safety reasons, officials pointed out.
In a ruling issued today, the conduct authority accepted the police's serious crash unit findings that the cause of the vehicle losing control was the driver's attempt to avoid the spikes - swerving the vehicle - before running over them.
Witnesses say the car erupted in a ball of fire. (Source: Other)
"We want everyone to be safe and feel safe, and that’s exactly what our officers’ purpose was on this night," Canterbury district commander superintendent John Price said in a statement shortly after the police watchdog's report was released this morning.
Police did acknowledge an officer didn't seek permission from the pursuit controller before deploying the spikes.
However, the action was deemed justified by the conduct authority as deployment of spikes can be self-authorised if an immediate response is justified.
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