Tom Phillips vanished into the Waikato bush with his children in 2021. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi / Police

Police have revealed further details about the search for Tom Phillips and his children.

Tom Phillips died following a shootout with police after they were called to reports of a burglary in the early hours of September 8. A police officer was shot multiple times during the shootout. On Friday police confirmed he had been discharged.

One of Phillips’ children, who was with him at the time, then began assisting police and said there were firearms at the campsite.

More than 12 hours later, the remaining children were located in a remote campsite, deep in dense bush about 2km away from where Phillips was fatally shot.

On Friday, police released further details about their investigation.

Detective Superintendent Ross McKay said the active investigation limited Police from disclosing the considerable measures employed during the search.

He said while the specifics of the Police response would be subject to debriefs and reviews, some further detail could be released.

“The vast area in which Phillips kept the children is difficult, steep terrain almost completely obscured from all angles by dense bush.

An aerial shot of one of the campsites off Te Anga Rd near Waitomo. Photo: Dean Purcell/New Zealand Herald via Getty Images

“At various times during the operation, Police specialist units such as Special Tactics Group, Armed Offenders Squad, Search and Rescue and Tactical Operations Group, were used.

“There was also support from the New Zealand Defence Force, with helicopter and ground assets.”

McKay said other resources included geospatial imagery, thermal imagery, covert technology such as motion-activated cameras, and Airbus Flexrotor drones.

The drones, supplied and operated by Airbus, flew for 111 hours over a period of two weeks in April this year.

“Police never stopped trying – thousands of hours were dedicated to the search,” McKay said.

“Intelligence played an important role in informing decisions and planning for possible outcomes.”

He said police knew Phillips had firearms and was “motivated to use them”.

Another image of one of the campsites used by Phillips and the children. Photo: Supplied/NZ Police

“We also knew, based on previous actions and behavioural science analysis, that Phillips was unlikely to surrender easily and was prepared to put the children in harm’s way.

“The primary objective was locating and returning the children safely.”

Police focused on two things, he said, “finding a campsite or a supply route”.

“The family regularly moved around and adapted their behaviour, meaning no sites were found.

“They were detected in transit on occasion but never in circumstances that allowed Police to safely intervene.

“While Operation Curly has concluded, it would not be appropriate for Police to provide further details ahead of the subsequent and ongoing investigations and reviews.

“However, I hope the information released today provides some reassurance about the lengths Police and its partner agencies went to in order to resolve this complex situation, as well as some clarity on the difficulties faced in achieving that safely.”

The cordon set up near where Phillips was killed. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

The children were in the guardianship of the Family Court, with Oranga Tamariki as the agent of the court.

McKay said Officer A had been discharged from hospital and his recovery was progressing.

The Police investigation into what happened was ongoing.

Police also continued to investigate the likelihood Phillips received outside support and are following “strong lines of enquiry”.

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