Collins seeks risk assessments for solo police patrols

Risk assessments need to be done on solo police patrols, says Police Minister Judith Collins.

Her comments came in the wake of a machete attack which left a lone police officer seriously injured during the weekend.

The minister, who is looking at a plan from Police Commissioner Howard Broad to give operational police officers better access to handguns carried in patrol cars, said yesterday that she did not want general arming of New Zealand police, but greater access to firearms was needed for the safety of operational officers.

Mr Broad said he was also discussing with the minister "complex" issues around double-crewing -- pairing up police for routine patrols -- but such a change would present problems for police in rostering staff in small stations.

"I don't think the public's going to be safer if we get rid of single-person stations because of a requirement to double-crew," Mrs Collins said.

"We've really got to have risk assessments done on these, in particular cases," she said of the solo patrols.

Veteran policeman Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, of Waiouru, was attacked from behind with a machete by two teenagers just north of Taihape on Saturday morning during a routine traffic stop, as he returned to his patrol car to check the driver's details.

Asked about solo patrols, Mrs Collins said that if such officers had better access to firearms, they might be safer, though she did not think a pistol in a lock box in Mr Mellor's car would have would helped when he was knocked down outside the car.

"We should see how this new initiative ... pans out, and see whether or not it is actually going to keep police officers safer and the public safe", she said yesterday when asked if general arming of police was inevitable.

Mrs Collins said she was in favour police having more options.

"I'm not in favour of a general arming of all police officers at this stage," she said.

"We already have armed officers: it's just a matter saying whether or not that net should be widened," she said.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday was inevitable that police access to firearms would increase, though he questioned whether it would make them safer: individual officers still had to decide whether they were going to use a gun and in which circumstances.

Mr Key said he would be cautious about the wholesale arming of police, "where every police officer in New Zealand walks round with a gun on their hip".

Mr Broad emphasised police officers needed to be given better training in risk assessment, and clearer guidelines on when they should consider using different types of weaponry.

"We're going to rely on the judgement of the officers ... provide them with greater tuition about selecting the right option," he said today.

Officers who might be given guns and training included not only police on patrol, but support staff such as dog handlers, road policing staff and detectives.