A Whanganui family was having dinner when police arrived and removed their four-year-old son on “safety” grounds, a move later found to be unlawful and unjustified by New Zealand’s police watchdog.
The boy, referred to as Johnny to protect his identity, had only eaten a few mouthfuls of dinner when two police officers arrived at his father’s home carrying a Police Safety Order (PSO).
His father, identified as Steve, was unaware at the time that his former partner had accused him of assaulting the child during an earlier visit.
“It was two cops, no Oranga Tamariki. That was a big surprise to me,” Steve said.
According to the father, officers informed him they were acting on the allegations and intended to remove Johnny from the home. The incident was later investigated by New Zealand’s independent police watchdog, which concluded the officers’ actions were unlawful and not justified under the circumstances.
