Police senior fleet manager Inspector Brian Yanko told the Herald all New Zealand vehicles undergo a comprehensive decommissioning process before sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis includes the removal of police-specific equipment such as emergency lighting, sirens, communications equipment, tactical storage systems and other operational fittings.\u201d <\/p>\n
Yanko said records from when police disposed of the vehicle, including the original decommissioning checklist and sale photographs, confirm it underwent that process. <\/p>\n
\u201cPhotographs taken at the time of sale show the vehicle without Police emergency equipment fitted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The gear is subject to \u201cstrict asset management controls\u201d and is either moved into replacement vehicles or returned to approved service providers for redeployment. <\/p>\n
While obsolete equipment can find its way into private ownership, police do not condone using it in a way that could lead people to think a person is an officer or that a vehicle is being operated as a police vehicle.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny attempt to impersonate Police or unlawfully use emergency warning equipment is taken seriously and may result in investigation and prosecution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yanko said police were satisfied the vehicle was \u201cappropriately decommissioned and disposed of in accordance with the processes in place at the time\u201d.<\/p>\n
The listing claimed it was legal to drive the vehicle as long as the sirens and lights were not activated. <\/p>\n
The seller recommended removing the equipment for daily driving. <\/p>\n
A fuse could be removed to disable the equipment, the post said. <\/p>\n
University of Waikato law professor Alexander Gillespie told the Herald that even having the appearance of a police vehicle can land you in hot water. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe law in this area is pretty clear, and you aren\u2019t allowed to impersonate a police officer or a police vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The interpretation of the law depends on what a reasonable person would think if they saw the car, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo a lot of that will go on the visual appearance of what the vehicle looks like if it\u2019s got lights on, if it\u2019s got decals on, if it\u2019s painted in a certain type of way.\u201d <\/p>\n
People are still able to own and drive replica or historic police vehicles, but it needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis, Gillespie said. <\/p>\n
He recommended talking to police before selling, making or buying one. <\/p>\n
The seller did not respond to the Herald\u2019s request for comment. <\/p>\n
According to RNZ, four reports were made to police recently regarding two vehicles which displayed what appeared to be Chinese police markings. <\/p>\n
The outlet said the cars unsettled Chinese community members. <\/p>\n