Mahurangi Matters – Off the Record

Trial by (social) media

Facebook might be facing its own problems at the moment, but it came into its own during the recent police chase through Warkworth after a hit and run at Hill Street. Since the fleeing offender opted to head straight into the town centre, the entire incident was witnessed by countless locals, many of whom provided a virtual running commentary on proceedings on local Facebook pages, right up to when he was apprehended by police knee-deep in the low-tide mud of the Mahurangi River. One wag wondered if this might speed up funding for the much-needed dredging, while others poked gentle fun at the police’s redaction methods – the digital equivalent of a nasty Tippex spill – when they later reproduced Mahurangi Matters’ photo of officers taking the man into custody. “Police brutality, they ‘rubbed him out’ …” wrote one, while another made a plea for restraint: “Guys … come on … just use handcuffs instead of 20 rolls of toilet paper next time.”