A man who alleges that a Police officer took more than $200 from his wallet in response to a dispute over a $20 gambling win has filed an official complaint.

Makai Dickerson claims that he was playing crown and anchor at Cup Match on Friday, August 4 when he was challenged over his $20 winnings by an Asian man who said they were his.

Mr. Dickerson, 24, from Somerset, said he had been playing with his own money and that he walked away after picking up what were his winnings.

However, he claims that later that day he was approached by around three Police officers together with the complainant and some other Asian men. One officer held his hands behind his back, he said, while another removed a sum of $200-plus from his pocket.

?He went like he was searching me and took it out of my pockets and handed it to the Asian man,? he said. ?It was a $20 dispute but they took took $200 out of my pocket.?

Mr. Dickerson added that when he visited the Police station at Cup Match together with a neighbour who works in the Police Reserves, officers said they did not recognise his description of the uniformed officer who took his money. They also told him they did not have a complaint form for him to fill out.

Following advice from the Human Rights Commission, Mr. Dickerson visited Hamilton Police Station this week to file an official complaint.

?I?m waiting to see how it goes,? he said.

A Police spokesperson said: ?There has been a formal complaint and we are looking into it. It?s being investigated by our Complaints and Discipline Unit.?

The spokesman said that, depending on the outcome, the matter would then be sent to either the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Police Complaints Authority for review, as is the procedure for all such complaints.