SHOULD POLICE FORCE BE ARMED IN NEW ZEALAND

SHOULD POLICE FORCE BE ARMED IN NEW ZEALAND

SHOULD POLICE FORCE BE ARMED IN NEW ZEALAND

Introduction to Police of New Zealand

The New Zealand Police (the Policemen of New Zealand) is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand. With over 11,000 employees it is the largest regulation enforcement bureau in New Zealand, and with couple of exclusions has primary jurisdiction over the most of New Zealand criminal law.

The New Zealand police also have responsibility for traffic and commercial vehicle enforcement as well as other key responsibilities including dignitary protection, firearms licensing and matters of national security.

The New Zealand Armed Offenders Squads (AOS) were first established in 1964, after the mortal firing of four police officers in occurrences in smaller Hutt and Waitakere. There are now 17 squads, covering all main centers.NZ Police is essentially an unarmed service, and there is determination both within Police and in the public to keep it that way.  But the AOS provides Police with the means of effectively and more safely responding to and resolving situations in which there is an actual or threatened use of firearms or other weapons against members of the public or Police. (Dennis, 2009)

The rudimentary procedures of functioning have not altered - that is to cordon, comprise and appeal to equipped offenders. These methods are thriving in the huge majority of incidents, which are resolved without the use of force. The AOS is furthermore used for some pre-planned procedures where there is a high risk, for demonstration large money escorts, or assisting other policeman with seek warrants. (Neocleous, 2004)

Good Things If Police Are Armed

Each force within New Zealand has Firearms Departments, which operate to provide an adequate response to the criminal use of firearms. This is done by having patrolling ARV's (Armed Response Vehicles), available to respond to spontaneous incidents.

Armed officers furthermore perform pre-planned firearms procedures to apprehend individuals, following a risk evaluation of the individual. Tactics utilized all counts on the environment of the risk. (Cleave, 2009)

At present the figures of firearms agents is adequate. Yes we hear of more shootings, although having more firearms agents on the roads will not negate this. The shootings will still occur. What we do need is robust judgment to a) Take lawbreakers off the roads for a long time and b) drive out the right note to all the other people who convey and use firearms. (Michael, 2009)

A recent survey by the Police Federation showed that the vast majority of NZ officers do not want to be armed.Very rarely do officers come face to face with armed criminals. We will all remember recent incidents where NZ officers were shot and killed attending incidents. Having a firearm will not inevitably avert this. On the occasions that I recall the officers were responding to occurrences where no firearm was mentioned. On one occasion the officer was a firearms officer and ...