The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that police were justified in using a police dog to arrest a man between Rotorua and Taupō on April 24, 2021.

Police observed a car being driven in the Rotorua region that had been stolen the day before in Auckland.

At 3.35am, a dog handler found the car stopped about twenty kilometres south of Rotorua on State Highway 1, says the IPCA's report that was released today.

When the dog handler stopped behind the vehicle the male driver got out and walked towards him. The dog handler told the man he was under arrest.

The man then became assaultive and resisted arrest, which led to a violent struggle between him and the dog handler and Police dog, which lasted nearly five minutes before police assistance arrived.

The man suffered dog bite injuries which required surgery and police later advised the Authority of the incident.

The man and the dog handler gave conflicting accounts about how the struggle started and what happened, says the IPCA.

A female passenger in the stolen car was not involved in the incident and the Authority was not able to locate her for interview. Based on the evidence available however, the Authority found the officer's account more reliable.

The man was charged in relation to the stolen car as well as resisting arrest and assaulting the dog handler and his dog.

The Authority found that the use of the dog was lawful and reasonable in the circumstances.

"Because of the likelihood of injury caused by a biting dog, we consider the use of a Police dog to be a significant use of force, only justifiable in specific circumstances," says Authority Chair, Judge Colin Doherty.

"On its own, apprehending the driver of a stolen car will not often warrant such significant force. In this case, however, the dog handler was on his own, without immediate back-up facing an offender intent on both resisting and assaulting him; a situation where the use of the dog was justified."

Rotorua area commander Inspector Phil Taikato says police accept the findings of the IPCA report.

"After being told he was under arrest by the police dog handler, the man involved in this incident became assaultive and resisted arrest, leading to a prolonged struggle,” says Phil.

"The incident took place in a remote location, where back-up for the dog handler was some distance away.

"The use of a police dog to affect the arrest of the man was entirely appropriate and justified in the circumstances."