Police safety gets $45m for two-person dog teams, frontline response

NZ Police.

The Government is putting $45 million into police frontline safety.  

It includes a $15 million Tactical Response Model - which will give staff four more days a year tactical training, have special teams to undertake work in moderate risk and to make the dog teams double crewed with a person trained to advanced level. 

Having two-person dog teams was intended to increase the safety of handlers so they would not have to respond to high-risk incidents alone. 

Police Minister Poto Williams said the funding would go "a long way to ensuring our officers are prepared and supported in their work".

"I want to be clear – the new Tactical Response Model is not Armed Response Teams," she said. 

A six month trial of an Armed Response Team that began in 2019 came under criticism, with problems beginning before the trial even began . The response team was crewed by members of the armed offenders squad.

The Tactical Prevention Teams would have training to the level of armed offenders squad, and would be unarmed unless required in a specific deployment. 

"These officers will wear standard police uniforms, drive standard police vehicles, and will not be armed in their day-to-day duties.

"They will support frontline investigation and prevention teams and will focus on high–risk offenders, firearms, methamphetamine, and organised crime groups."

Others will also get additional tactical training to de-escalate dangerous situations.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said there had been a year of consultation with staff.

"This model is designed around enhancing frontline training; improving frontline access to specialist capability, and strengthening risk-based deployment and technology," Coster said. 

"Increasing the number and availability of staff with advanced tactical training and deploying them in this way will significantly enhance our frontline capability," Coster said. 

"They will wear standard police uniforms and drive standard police vehicles.

"They will not be armed in their day-to-day duties but will have immediate access to tactical options if the situation requires it."

Police Association's Chris Cahill said the police tactical response model "acknowledges that the proliferation and use of illegal firearms has changed this country’s policing environment, and officers and communities need better protection".

"The association must acknowledge today’s announced plan falls short of the overwhelming call from our members for general arming.

"We are prepared to give this tactical response model an opportunity to deliver what our members so clearly need to police safely without the need for general arming," Cahill said. 

National's police spokesperson Simeon Brown tweeted that it was "good to see the Govt announce today Tactical Prevention Teams which will have a similar role as Armed Response Teams and be trained to the same level as Armed Offender Squads".

"A big backdown from the Govt who should never have abandoned Armed Response Teams last year."

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