Police record for Paul Melvin Stowers (d 25/10/90)0)
Niki Hastings made this Official Information request to New Zealand Police
This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Niki Hastings to read a recent response and update the status.
From: Niki Hastings
Dear New Zealand Police,
I am writing to request a copy of the Police record for Paul Melvin Stowers deceased Oct 25 1990
Yours faithfully,
Niki Hastings
From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police
Tēnā koe Niki
I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.
Your reference number is IR-01-25-35907.
You can expect a response to your request on or before 29 October 2025 unless an extension is needed.
Can you kindly advise the purpose for this information request - are you a family member doing family research, or are you using this information for journalistic/news story purposes?
Can you also please clarify if you meant "police records" about the fatal police shooting of Mr Stowers in 1990, or did you mean you want the "criminal records" of Mr Stowers?
Ngā mihi, Michelle
Advisor - Police National Headquarters
Advisor - Police National Headquarters
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From: Niki Hastings
Dear Ministerial Services,
Thank you for your prompt response. I actually am requesting both the police records and the criminal record but assumed I would need to send a separate request for each file.
Please can you advise if one request will suffice for both items or should I continue to proceed with the separate request for the criminal record as apart from the police record
I am writing as a relative (cousin) of the deceased for family archival purposes
Yours sincerely,
Niki Hastings
From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police
Kia ora Niki
Thank you for confirming this is for family research purposes - no need to send another request, I will amalgamate these into the one request.
Kind regards, Michelle
Advisor - Police National Headquarters
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From: Niki Hastings
Dear Ministerial Services,
Thankyou for confirming that u will amalgamate both the police and criminal records as one request.
Can I please also ammend the date of death to 28/10/1990 not the 25/10/1990 as per heading. My apologies for error
Yours sincerely,
Niki Hastings
From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police
OIA response IR 01 25 35907.pdf
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IR 01 25 35907 attachment 2015 440 1 1 Redacted.pdf
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Tēnā koe Niki
Please find attached the response and documentation relating to your
Official Information Act request, received by Police on 30 September 2025.
Ngā mihi
Lisa
Ministerial Services
Police National Headquarters
===============================================================
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subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which
creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you
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From: Niki Hastings
Dear Ministerial Services,
Thank you for sending me the official police report on the homicide of Melvin Stowers which was sent to me under this ( erronneous) request number IR 01 25 35907
I sent a separate application for the Police Report on the Homocide of Paul Melvin Stowers which i will now close
However I am still awaiting the correct response to this request number, which was for all and any Police Records for Paul Melvin Stowers
It was also agreed to add the request for his actual Official Criminal Record to this request
I was assured I did not need to make a separate application for the Criminal record.
Please can u acknowledge receipt of this separate request and let me know if I have to reapply under 2 separate requests for the information applied for under this original number
Yours sincerely,
Niki Hastings
From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police
Kia ora Niki
With regard to your additional request for criminal records for Paul Melvin Stowers, my apologies this was not specifically referenced in the letter of response from Rowan Carroll, but page 36 titled "Analysing Stowers" discusses the criminal history of Mr Stowers, and there is information about his criminal history on page 5 too. A further breakdown of Mr Stowers criminal history would likely be refused under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural persons both alive and deceased.
Ngā mihi, Michelle
Ministerial Services - Police National Headquarters
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