The former police officer and National MP Chester Borrows, who chaired the Government's justice advisory group, says the new police Armed Response Teams are a step towards the routine arming of police.
A six month trial of the teams began in October in Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury. During the first five weeks of the trial, they were called out 75 times a day - that's 50 times more often than Armed Offenders Squad were called out.
Originally police said the purpose of the teams would be to respond to critical or high risk incidents, but National Commander Freda Grace, who oversees the teams, says it makes no sense for them to be idle.
Borrows speaks to Susie Ferguson.
