The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an officer in Te Araroa, near Gisborne, directed a man he suspected had been drinking to drive to the local police station.
The incident happened on 2 September 2018 after a member of the public complained about the man's driving.
In a statement today, the authority said the officer also failed to accurately complete breath-testing documentation.
Upon stopping the vehicle the man was driving, the officer recognised him from an earlier incident where the man had been verbally aggressive.
The officer said he had felt unsafe in the driveway where the man had stopped, so directed him to drive less than a kilometre away to the nearest police station, the watchdog said.
He told the authority his intention was to arrest the man for his earlier threatening behaviour and speak to him about the driving complaint.
Records indicated the officer suspected the man had been drinking before directing him to drive.
The authority found that the officer should have remained in the driveway and arrested the man for threatening behaviour or, if he felt unsafe doing so, left the address and dealt with him later.
In response to the report, Eastern District commander superintendent Tania Kura said police "acknowledge the IPCA's findings and have reiterated our processes to the officer".
"Our staff are often required to make decisions in challenging circumstances and their safety is of the utmost importance."
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