The arming of police officers in Canterbury was inevitable with the growing numbers and brazenness of the gangs across the country – this should be a permanent step, says Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“It is unfortunate that we have come to the point where the criminal gangs have grown to pose such a danger to the community that we now need our officers to be armed - but it is a necessary step to keep our community safe," says Darroch Ball co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“This will be just the tip of the iceberg with the rest of the country’s districts following suit in the near future due to the ballooning gang numbers, the uncontrollable increase in violence, and crimes involving guns."

“The Trust backs the permanent arming of police as it seems the only common-sense next step in the fight against gang violence and ensuring the protection of the community," says Mr Ball.

“We need to realise the failings in our systems that have got us to this point."

“We need to be open to taking the next step and permanently arming our entire police force across the country to combat the growing threat of gangs in our community."

“Safety and protection of the community must be priority and should not take a back seat to any politically ideological stance of not arming police.”

Police to carry guns in Canterbury amid rising gang tensions | 1 NEWS | TVNZ

© Scoop Media