Ok New Zealanders?

Question

Im asking on the travel page because obviously alot of new zealanders check it out, however my question is totally unrelated to travel therefore apologies from the start.

So should the NZ police force (the cops we see everyday) have standard issue hand guns on them while on duty? I think no...... and it would be a sad day in NZ history to have to introduce hand guns, in saying that however my only defence is that it would scare me to see guns on our police officers. Is our country as safe as we think? or are we (as a nation) being naive? opinions please......thanks

Answer 1

Almost every other country including th UK is arming some of its police with automatic guns, taser guns, cs gas, pepper spray etc., in response to a growing number of guns and offensive weapons used by criminals.  I suspect that New Zealand would be no exception to what is happening in the rest of the world.

I don't think that most people in the UK are scared because police are armed in this way.

Answer 2

I agree.

I'm from Australia and when I was last over there to visit, I was at Mc Donalds and a police officer was in line as well. I looked over and saw him carrying a gun! I was freaked out. It wasn't like he was going to shot me with it, but just that is was there and that he could use it if he needed to.

I don't think we need guns. We've got the tasers and they do more than enough damage to stop a person who is committing a crime, we don't need to shoot them dead.

It also worries me that a police officer the other day tried to shoot a dog 12 times and still missed! It's worrying.

We don't have the types of crimes that they have in Australia and the USA.

Answer 3

I wouldn't like to see our cops regularly carry firearms, except for armed offenders callouts.  But as one cop recently said, we cops don't get paid enough to come home in boxes.  The best way to ensure that only a few police need to carry firearms is to have strict gun laws, harsh penalties for just illegal possession of a firearm and much harsher penalties for violent crimes involving firearms than for those that don't.  Almost no civilian needs to own a handgun.

Answer 4

I agree.

I don't think the Police should carry hand guns on them at all times. But you get the feeling that it will eventually happen.

Guns are difficult for anybody to access in this country, including the police. Lets hope it stays that way. Just have a peak over at the states to see the dangers that gun availability brings.

I actually like the fact that it is such a big deal whenever a civilian is killed by a police officer. It is such a rare occurence and is usually only employed in a rare circumstance when there is no other alternative.

Just out of curiousity... how many policemen get shot?? Anyone got any figures or have a rough idea?

Answer 5

I have always viewed New Zealand as a rough, yet beutiul country. I don't however believe that police should carry guns on them.

Yes, New Zealand does have a lot of crime for its size, yet it is still a very safe place to live.

They carry guns in Australia, where i am originally from

Answer 6

No that's why we have the armed offenders squad.  Yes there will be idiots who would put other people's and the Police's lives at steak but generally I think we should remain with what we have got and keep with the status quo.

Answer 7

I'm a new zealander but lived in Australia and England where the police carry guns and quite frankly it makes no difference to the average citizen people think nothing of it. Really you hardly ever hear they have had to use them and when they do there is always a very big enquiry about it . Yes today I think they should as more than ever there is some crazies out there and some people on drugs especially ice are extremely dangerous . Would you like to be in a terrible situation when someone is out of complete control with weapons and will not take orders . Pepper spray them yes but if that wasn't possible because the police couldn't get that close what would you do