Three police officers have been charged with manslaughter after a man died while in custody at Hawera Police Station in June last year.
The charges, filed by the New Zealand Police at the New Plymouth District Court on Wednesday, allege that the officers were "grossly negligent in their duty of care" to the 55-year-old victim.
They also claim this negligence "was a causal factor in his death".
The man's death occurred following a call-out to a family harm incident at 11:30pm on May 31, 2019.
Police at the time said the man was intoxicated, arrested for assault and taken to the cells. He was then found "unresponsive" during a routine check in the early hours of June 1.
Despite efforts to revive him by police staff and again by paramedics when they arrived, he couldn't be saved.
Now, after an investigation spanning more than a year, police have decided to lay charges against three officers.
"The decision to file charges was made after a thorough investigation and consideration of legal advice from the New Plymouth Crown Solicitor and a Queen's Counsel," a police statement sent to media reads.
All three officers have been stood down from their roles and an employment process has been undertaken, police say.
The trio have been granted interim name suppression and remanded on bail ahead of an appearance at the New Plymouth High Court on June 26.
Police notified the victim's family of their decision to lay charges before filing them in court on Wednesday, they say.
