Police's 'cascade of failure' in controlling guns in New Zealand

A lobby group is arguing there is a "cascade of failure" in controlling gun control in New Zealand.

Mike Loder, from Shooters Lottery, says the biggest step police should take to reduce the number of cases of criminals pulling guns on cops is to tackle recidivism.

Data from the Ministry of Justice showed since the 1980s, 51 offenders had been convicted for two or more offences for use of a firearm against law enforcement officer. 

Between 2016 and 2017, 368 people were sentenced to imprisonment for possession of a firearm with the average sentence being 344 days. 

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During that same time, 588 convicted of the same offence received sentences of either community detention, intensive supervision, community work or were ordered to pay the courts, figures showed. 

"More than 50 people have threatened police with a firearm more than once, it is a cascade of failure, only 8 per cent of those who steal guns go before a judge," Loder said. 

"The police are tinkering with this and that and tell owners their safes need to be thicker."

Loder said criminals would always be able to access guns. 

"They are making homemade machine guns and with 3D printers becoming more popular, you'll be able to print an entire pistol," he said. 

Loder said despite New Zealand having relatively low gun crime, the dangers could be eradicated if police recognised that recidivism was the issue.

New Zealand doesn't have a firearms registry, but at best estimate there's 1.5 million in the country.

The firearm community is not small in New Zealand with about 238,700 people carrying firearm licences, the vast majority being males between 40 and 70 years old.

New Zealand Police response and operations capability manager Inspector Jason Ross said a key component in reducing the number of cases where offenders present and/or use a firearms against police was limiting the opportunities for offenders to access firearms in the first instance.

"Accessing firearms when you are not lawfully entitled to possess them generally arises from unlawful acts, such as theft, burglaries or fraud.

"The security of firearms, and understanding and applying the laws that restrict the possession, sale and use of firearms, are all essential components of being a fit and proper person entitled to hold a firearm licence."

Ross said storing firearms securely helped reduce offenders' ability to access them.

Ross wasn't able to comment specifically on the data by the Ministry of Justice, but he did say police already take steps to revoke licenses, alert police staff, and/or seek appropriate bail conditions for anyone convicted of firearms offences.

New Zealand Police Association President Chris Cahill said recidivism was a relatively small part in tightening gun control. 

However, Cahill said there needed to be significant penalties and better and stricter gun controls.

"There is no registry of firearms so we don't know how many are actually in New Zealand.

"There needs to be tighter controls over who buys a firearm and there should be permits obtained by the sellers," Cahill said.

About 55,000 firearms are imported into New Zealand every year, Cahill said.

Cahill echoed Loder's concerns about under-reporting by police.

In an article in the June edition of the Police News, it said there were daily reports of criminal incidents involving firearms in New Zealand, however it was not reflected in the official record of firearm-related occurrences.

The article said it had become a source of frustration to those who perceived a growing risk to public safety.

The disparity between reporting and recording has been looked into by the Police Strategy Group (PSG) and the National Intelligence Centre (NIC).

Between December 8, 2017 and February 25 there were 86 incidents involving firearms but only five were corrected in the National Intelligence Application.