Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reaffirmed that "it would be a very sad day in New Zealand to routinely arm the New Zealand police", but also says she supports the new routinely-armed armed response teams being rolled out.
The ART teams, with new vehicles, will carry armed offenders squad officers who will be routinely armed, and they will be deployed 24/7 in areas where it is deemed necessary.
Auckland Council Manukau Ward Councillor Efeso Collins this morning voiced his concerns to TVNZ 1's Breakfast, saying the unconscious bias carried by all people - including police - will mean there will be more chance of minorities becoming shooting statistics at the hands of police.
- Attacks on police rose in the past year with 350 assaults recorded
- Do we need armed police in special vehicles patrolling communities?
- Government shifts goalposts on 1800 new police promise after PM questioned in Parliament
- Woman attacked in Christchurch street feels betrayed by police no-show
Former police officer Tim McKinnel also spoke to Breakfast with Mr Collins, saying a convincing case has not been made as to why these ART units are needed when the AOS are already available, and when police are dealing with incidents as serious as March 15 just fine without firearms.
Ms Ardern said that "I am totally opposed to the routine arming of the police," and that "what the Police Commissioner has announced - which is obviously operational and for the Police Commissioner - is not the general arming of police.
"What he's proposing is that his armed offenders team just be at the ready on a routine basis," Ms Ardern said.
"At the moment our armed offenders specialists carry out other duties, so if there's an issue, they'll often need to return to a station, get themselves kitted out and then make themselves available.
"My understanding is that what the Commissioner is proposing is that those teams be more readily available on an ongoing basis."
Police have already dispatched one of the ART units to Wairoa over the weekend after an unknown individual fired a shot at the police station there, as well as at an officer's home.
The ART unit was not dispatched to directly respond to the shootings, but to "patrol" while it is being investigated, and to be available if needed, the Gisborne Herald reported.
"What we're talking about is specialised trained individuals - people who are trained in, basically, doing what they can to avoid ever using their arms, but are called out if it's known, for instance, that there are weapons on the other side,' Ms Ardern said.
That's the current situation - whats being trialled here is making them more readily available for those scenarios.
