Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police acknowledge and accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority which concluded police were justified in the fatal shooting of Darren Lyttle in April 2023.
The IPCA found that Police shot Mr Lyttle in self-defence which was justified in the circumstances.
They found the command and control of the incident was not well managed and recommended Police provide further training to ensure officers have a sound understanding of the role, responsibilities, and requirements of incident controllers, particularly where AOS are deployed. Police accept these findings and have already taken to steps to ensure further training for relevant staff.
Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett says we will address the findings and collaborate with our training directors to improve our command-and-control ability.
“These types of incidents are extremely complex, unpredictable, and fast moving. Staff who attend these incidents need to make decisions based on the threat and circumstances in front of them, sometimes in a matter of seconds.”
We would like to acknowledge the family of Mr Lyttle at this time.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
