‘Terrifying’ attack on traffic officer

Press, 23 January 1984, Page 6

‘Terrifying’ attack on traffic officer

PA Auckland A traffic officer who was attacked on Saturday evening by a gang in Panmure described the experience as the “most terrifying” of his life.

Mr Philip Buckley, aged 29, said yesterday he was punched in the face and cut by flying glass when gang members kicked in the windows of his patrol car. Although shaken, he was able to return to duty yesterday afternoon. “I count myself extremely lucky to be here today,” said Mr Buckley. “I got a bleeding nose and cuts on the scalp from flying glass ... I got off extremely lightly.”

Mr Buckley was returning to the Mt Wellington office of the Ministry of Transport about 8 p.m. when he saw

two motor-cyclists riding without helmets. He followed the motorcyclists, who pulled into a tavern car-park. “One of them did a U-turn and came straight at the patrol car,” said Mr Buckley.

The motor-cycle struck the car, spilling its rider a short distance from the door of the tavern’s public bar. Mr Buckley said that within seconds the patrol car was under attack.

“A foot came through the passenger door window, a fist came through my window and a bottle hit the windscreen.

“I was punched about the face and head from one side, possibly two.”

The handset radio cable was ripped from the car, but not before Mr Buckley had sent a message.

“Once my microphone cord disappeared, it was the most sinking feeling,” he said. “That was my lifeline. “The whole thing probably lasted only 30 seconds. It was so fast, that I was amazed at the severity of it for the short length of time.”

He thought at least six people attacked the car. As Mr Buckley was driving from the car-park, a police vehicle was arriving at the tavern.

About a dozen police, including a team policing unit, made extensive inquiries at the tavern after the attack, but no arrests had been made last evening. The officer in charge of the Ministry’s Mt Roskill area, Senior Chief Traffic 'Officer Bruce Bolton, called the attack “completely and utterly unprovoked.’’