An increase in serious violence in Tauranga over the past few weeks has seen a double homicide in Omanawa and a deadly shootout on a busy highway.
A woman’s body was also found in the Tauranga suburb of Brookfield over the weekend.
Today Police Commissioner Mike Bush told TVNZ1’s Breakfast that police are concerned about the increased level of violence in Tauranga.
"The public shouldn't have to tolerate this kind of violence in their communities. And our people are putting themselves between that violence and the community to keep them safe every day and every night," says Mr Bush.
"Our people put their lives on the line to keep their community safe."
While some of the violence has been attributed to gang activity, Mr Bush says last week's incident which saw a man wanted over the Omanawa double-homicide shot dead by police after he opened fire on officers is different.
The death follows the appearance in court of a person accused of a double homicide earlier this week.
"But that doesn't make it any the less serious," he says.
"Police with communities need to intervene in a number of ways to stop this kind of violence in our communities occurring."
On Saturday a man appeared in court charged with the murders of two men in Omanawa. The man was arrested in Christchurch on Friday.
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