Police Baton (Minto Bar)

Unique NZ Police Monodok PR 24 baton.

In 1980 the NZ Police formed a Unit, The Red Escort Group, which during the 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour of New Zealand became known infamously as Red Squad.

Red Squad comprised 54 personnel.
Ross Meurant was Second in Command of Red Squad.

Members of Red Squad were issued with plastic Monodok PR 24 long batons. This weapon became as infamous as the men and one woman of Red Squad who wielded the baton in a blaze of blood through out The Tour.

Prior to The Tour Meurant and several other members of Red Squad imported from the USA at their own expense for use in the police PR 24 batons made of aluminium.

Offered for sale on this auction is the unique aluminium PR 24 Monodok long baton of Ross Meurant.

This baton was carried through out the most violent period in the history of the NZ Police by the man who commanded the First Squad of The Red Escort Group.

Almost as infamous as the PR 24 is Ross Meurant who wrote a best seller book on The Tour: The Red Squad Story (Harlen Press, 1982).

Meurant was subsequently 'buried' in the bowels of the police in purgatory until he emerged on the streets of Auckland again when he was commissioned as in Inspector in 1985.

In 1987 Meurant resigned from the police when he won the Hobson Parliamentary Electorate of Hobson. He served as a Member of Parliament for 9 years including 2 years on The Executive as an Under Secretary. Meurant has a BA degree from Auckland University and a Masters degree from Victoria.

A certificate of authentication will be provided, and engraving if requested.

This item is being sold on behalf. Serious inquiries will be forwarded to the owner and answered daily.