A former police negotiator's surprised... over manslaughter charges laid against three police officers in Hawera

The charges relate to the death of a 55-year-old man in custody at the Hawera Police Station in June last year.

Lance Burdett says it's unprecedented.

He says he can't remember something like this happening before.

The charges allege the officers were grossly negligent in their duty of care to the victim - and that this negligence was a causal factor in his death.