A South Auckland-based Māori warden says some people feel safer with armed police response teams on the roads - despite controversy over the teams.
Māori justice advocates are submitting an urgent Waitangi tribunal claim over the failure of the Crown to inform Māori about the six-month trial of armed response teams, or ARTs in Counties Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury.
They say the teams won't keep Māori safe - but some people in communities where gun violence is prevalent disagree. Meriana Johnsen reports.
In a statement, Māori deputy commissioner Wally Haumaha says in the last five months of the pilot, no armed response teams have fired any shots.
He says the communities which ARTs are in will be consulted before police decide whether to continue their deployment.
