Police launch review of custody and transport of prisoners after escape incidents

August 23, 2019

Police Commissioner Mike Bush has launched a national review of the custody and transport of prisoners undertaken by police.

It comes as police continue the hunt for three Levin prisoners who escaped from custody on Wednesday night as well as a man who escaped from Rotorua Hospital this afternoon while in custody. 

Police said in a statement tonight that "when something does go wrong we need to learn from it and where appropriate make changes so that it does not happen again".

"Our staff go to work every day to keep the community safe and I want to be sure that the procedures and policies we have in place in regard to the custody and transport of prisoners is fit for purpose and mitigates the risks both to staff and the public," said Commissioner Bush.

Terms of Reference for the review will be developed early next week.

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