Fugitive father Tom Phillips was killed in a gunfight with police but authorities have revealed they had spotted him on occasion earlier.Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES

Police have revealed they detected Tom Phillips “in transit on occasion” during his four years on the run, but weren’t able to safely intervene as they expected he’d not give up without a fight.

In a statement outlining further details of the hunt for the missing Marokopa father-of-three, police also revealed specialised drones, NZ Defence Force “ground assets” and covert, motion-activated cameras were all used in the hunt for Phillips.

Whether those Defence Force “assets” included the NZ SAS remains unknown, however, as a Defence Force spokesperson told the Waikato Times that “as this case remains an active Police-led investigation, we will not be providing any further information”.

Further details about the four year search for the missing Marokopa father, which came to an end on Monday September 8 when Phillips’ shot and critically injured an officer before he himself was shot and killed by Police, have been released by Detective Superintendent Ross McKay.

McKay said that while the specifics of the Police response will be subject to debriefs and reviews, some further detail can now be released.

Police have revealed drones were used in the hunt for Tom Phillips, with 111 hours of air time in just two weeks in April.NZ Defence Force

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

“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.

“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.

“We knew Phillips had firearms and was motivated to use them.

Police said the family regularly moved around and adapted their behaviour, meaning no sites were found.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,” he said.

“Police focused on two key things to achieve that – 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.

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

The officer shot by Phillips has been discharged from hospital and his recovery is progressing.

The Police investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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