The safety of the public and our staff is always the paramount concern of police managers.

 

We are 100% committed to that.

 

For the last two years, we have been looking at the way police officers are trained in the use of firearms. While we remain firm in our belief that our police should not be routinely armed we recognise that the environment is changing, and that the approach which has been in place for the past 30 years may no longer be best suited to our needs.

 

Currently, every police officer receives the same amount of firearms training, no matter what their role is. Of course, extra training is given to specialists, such as those who take on duties with the Armed Offender Squad.

 

This 'one size fits all' approach was standard when I trained as a police officer in the 1970s.

 

The police organisation is very different now. Roles are far more specialised. Some officers run a daily risk of facing an armed offender; for others the risk is somewhat lower.

 

I believe it is sensible to provide all our staff with the training that allows them to do their specific job as effectively and safely as possible.

 

So, instead of giving the same amount of firearms training to everyone, we propose giving more training to those most likely to deal with critical firearms incidents. That means probably 40 percent of operational staff (including all staff based in rural and remote areas) will receive more firearms training than they do now. They will be better able to respond to a serious situation, and trained to intervene where safety may be at risk if they have to wait for specialists armed squads. This will improve staff safety and the security of the public.

 

New Zealand Police remains absolutely committed to remaining routinely unarmed. That means officers don't carry a gun as part of their uniform, but firearms can be made quickly available when and where they are needed.

 

Our training reinforces the requirement for staff to consider the full range of tactical options when responding to situations involving weapons. This includes considering less lethal options, such as Tasers, in situations where firearms are not part of the threat scenario.

 

Read more:

Review of police firearms training, www.police.govt.nz News Centre

Police routinely unarmed on my watch, by Police Commissioner Howard Broad