IPCA finds Whangārei officer unjustified in hitting man in head with launcher

Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·30 Jul, 2026 04:45 AM4 mins to read‌Police conducted their own investigation into the incident and charged the officer with assault with a weapon, however, he was later acquitted.The police watchdog has found a Whangārei officer unjustifiably struck a man in the head with a 40mm sponge-round launcher during an arrest. An Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report released today found tactical unit officer Taylor Stephen Morgan used unjustified force against Matt Sinclair during the January 10,