Editorial: Locals armed and curious

Open Day at the Tauranga Police Station. Dane Wooster 6 (left) and Troy Wooster 4.

Just a few hours after celebrating the All Blacks' glorious crushing of the French, I ended up in a police booze bus, police car, and finally in a cell.

Fortunately, it was "make-believe" at Tauranga Police Station's open day, as part of a National Police open day, yesterday.

I hope that's the only time I see my children in the back of a police car.

There was a fantastic atmosphere at the event with hundreds turning out to mingle with different police services.

A great way of building trust and confidence between police and the community.

The highlight for the kids - small and big kids alike - was getting up close and personal with members of the armed offenders squad. Mums queued for photos of kids holding a gun with a squad member.

It was standing room only at Monmouth Redoubt Reserve for the simulated demo in which Epic, the police dog, took down a "baddie" shooting at police, with the AOS moving in to take control.

Not that I am in favour of the glorification of guns.

But I am in favour of police being appropriately armed and trained.

Firearms have become "ridiculously easy" for offenders to get their hands on.

Police are being confronted almost daily by gun-wielding criminals, according to the Police Association.

NZME reported this month that more than 500,000 firearms, worth $242 million, have been legally imported into New Zealand over the past decade.

These include high-powered hunting rifles, shotguns, pistols, semi-automatic weapons, and restricted air guns.

Police say they believe there are about 1.5 million guns in New Zealand.

There are about 230,000 licensed firearms owners.

It was thrilling seeing the armed offenders squad and handling guns at the open day.

But in the real world, guns are not play time.

I am glad the AOS is there to protect us and think more police should be trained and armed.

But gun licensing laws need revisiting.