Police overstepped their authority in entering two houses unlawfully

In March last year, officers entered a Masterton house to execute an arrest, without a warrant.

They were concerned the man who was refusing to come out might have firearms and be trying to escape.

A physical altercation inside was deemed justified, but unlawful given they had no right to enter the property,

Similarly, in Dunedin, the Armed Offenders Squad forced entry to a house where a man was at the door holding an axe handle.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority says to enter without a warrant, police must believe the person might destroy, conceal, alter or damage evidence - or be be likely to escape.

It says in these cases police wrongly interpreted their power, and substantially overreached it, illegally.