The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) is calling for the new Police Commissioner to rule out the possibility of frontline Police officers carrying guns, after new data has revealed a sharp increase in unintentional firearm discharges by police officers.

Data obtained through the Official Information Act (OIA) reveals that between 2019 and 2023, there were 30 accidental firearm discharges (excluding police college incidents), two of which resulted in non-fatal gunshot wounds to Police officers requiring hospitalisation.

“On these numbers, general arming of Police would be plainly dangerous and irresponsible”, says COLFO Spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack.

Over the past decade, police have averaged 5.3 accidental discharges per year. Licensed firearm owners are far better trained, with only one unintentional discharge at a firearms range over the same period—a rate 5.2 times lower than that of the police.

Police receive six times less training than required of licensed firearms owners who own the types of firearms used by Police, such as pistols. Citizens are legally required to practice on a range 12 times a year. Police officers train with similar firearms only twice annually.

Devereux-Mack says the current firearms training Police receive is far below what they require of civilian gun users. Unlike regular New Zealanders, Police are not required to hold a firearms license.

“Earning the privilege to legally point a firearm at a citizen and even shoot them demands training far beyond everyday firearm owners.”

“In 2022, Police pointed firearms at people 65 times a month on average – yet have six times less training than a standard firearms owner,” says Devereux-Mack.

“You’d think that high level of risk would necessitate the maximum training standards in the country, yet Police want firearm owners to attend more range days than they require of themselves.

“Licensed firearm owners face far stricter safety standards, yet police officers—who are more likely to encounter high-pressure situations while armed—are not held to the same level of accountability. This double standard puts both officers and civilians at risk.

“The Police Commissioner should not even entertain the idea of general arming of officers in this context,” says Devereux-Mack.

In 2017, Police Association president Chris Cahill said the key to reducing the number of firearm discharges was more training. However, little progress appears to have been made, and Cahill has continued to recklessly advocate for general arming of police.

COLFO is urging the Government and the Police Minister to increase the frequency and quality of firearms training for police officers to higher than civilian standards.

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