'Heil Dogg', also known as Angus Benson and Angus Ratima Photo: Waitiria Greekz / supplied
Expect disruptions as the Mongrel Mob farewells its Napier president 'Heil Dogg' this weekend, police say.
'Heil Dogg' is also known as Angus Benson and Angus Ratima. His body is at his mother's home in Maraenui, and will be taken to the nearby gang headquarters on Friday, where he will lie for his last night and for poroporoaki (farewell) before a funeral service on Saturday in Marewa.
Extra police have been brought in from across the country and a number of roading checkpoints have resulted in two vehicles being seized, four breath tests failed and one arrest for disorder. There have also been a handful of people who've had gang insignia taken off them under new laws banning patches in public.
Hawke's Bay area commander Inspector Lincoln Sycamore told RNZ police were expecting a large number of people to attend the tangi.
"We know that Benson had a wide reach within the community both from a family perspective and whatever other interests he had… real strong in the rugby fraternity.
"We are expecting a large number of people to come pay their respects from whatever walks of live they happen to choose - but certainly, and I'll emphasise, that he was a community member as well as whatever other things he chose to do."
Police have brought in extra officers from all over the country, including public order teams and gang disruption units.
"Essentially everybody that can wear a blue uniform from within our own capacity is what we've deployed out and about... Our focus is high visibility and to provide that reassurance and to be able to react to anything should we need to.
"We think we've got the right sort of capacity to respond to whatever we need to at the time."
'Really gentle, really polite and caring'
Police said Benson's death was not being treated as suspicious. and would be referred to the coroner.
Locals RNZ spoke to in Maraenui said everyone was in disbelief that Benson was dead.
"The whole community is in shock, no one can believe what's happened - they're still coming to terms with it. The community is really pulling together and it's quite sombre, Heil's was a really good guy, he was a really good customer," said one person.
Benson was the leader of the Mongrel Mob's Barbarian chapter in Napier, but Maraenui Four Square owner Multitude Parihar remembered him as a customer who loved Kapiti ice cream .
"He was really gentle, really polite and really caring. Even his dad was a regular customer. Feeling so sad for them."
Parihar said there had been an influx of gang members into Maraenui, but no issues had arisen.
"Yeah it's a lot, very busy. Expecting a lot tomorrow and on Saturday."
Around the corner at the Mongrel Mob's Napier headquarters, a marquee and food truck had been set up on the lawn and a social media post warned tangi attendees about road closures at Benson's mother's house nearby, urging everyone to behave.
Mongrel Mob chapter president Angus Benson - known as Heil Dogg - is being farewelled at a tangi in Napier. Photo: Facebook / Supplied
A source told RNZ the tangi was expected to be peaceful, and gang members would respect the new laws banning patches in public. One local said the police presence had been over the top.
"The community spirit, the family spirit is amazing. Everyone is looking out for each other but they want the police to bugger off and leave them to it."
Sycamore said there had been been a variety of interactions at checkpoints.
"Anecdotal feedback ranges from, 'Hey it's really great to see police here doing what you're doing,' through to, 'I've been stopped a number of times and I'm over it…' but probably in stronger language than that."
Benson's body will be moved down the street to the gang pad on Saturday for a poroporoaki - a farewell - before his funeral service at the Napier Tech Sports Club in Marewa on Saturday.
"The public can be assured police are ready to respond to any issues if and when they arise, and will maintain high visibility until funeral commemorations have concluded.
"There will be no tolerance for breaches of the law, including the Gangs Act 2024, nor for any unsafe or intimidating behaviour," said Sycamore.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
